Book IV: The Sacrifice
by SonicMaster23
Summary: All over Mobius, strange things are happening. A mysterious black hedgehog has been raiding villages, Chaos Emeralds are disappearng, and the Floating Island has fallen from the skies. The Freedom Fighters head to the island to investigate, only to find t
1. Chapter 1 Uncle Chuck's Discovery

**.:Chapter 1:.**

**Uncle Chuck's Discovery**

It was a blazing day in midsummer, when the sun seemed to hang so low in the sky that it melted the very clouds. The air was thick, humid and muggy, the skies a hazy shade of light blue, and the sun glistening gold on the swells of the eastern shore as they crashed upon the white sand. The ocean was alive in that sweltering heat, gleaming like an emerald for miles upon miles around. Dolphins danced merrily in the surf, shooting out of the water like silver bullets to see how close they could get to the sun. Gulls and terns and other seashore birds sailed high on the sea breeze, every now and then swooping at a school of minows that flicked through the water to find cover amongst the rocks. Upon the beach crabs and sea turtles scooted about the sand, disappearing only when the shadow of some aerial predator drifted above them, and then returning, seemingly out of nowhere, to continue their day's work.

Of course the inhabitants of the sea weren't the only things that sought its cool, clear waters in the summer heat. Down the shoreline, emerging from the lush growth of coconut palms in the south, came three peculiar creatures that never failed to cause the natives of planet Mobius to stop whatever they were doing and look up in astonishment.

"Race you!" One called, and began to dash toward the waves.

"Hey! Wait up Nat!" shouted the second, grinning and plunging after her friend. "C'mon, Kim! Last one to the water makes dinner for all Knothole Village!"

The third chuckled. "As a matter of fact, Jessica, I sometimes help Rosie and Bunnie prepare the meals for the village, so it wouldn't bother me none."

"Wee!" Natalie exclaimed suddenly, diving right into a swell just before it rolled toward the sand. "Come on, you two slowpokes! The water's great!" She slapped the surface of the water with her hand, splashing Kimberly and Jess, and the other two giggled and jumped in.

With great curiosity the creatures of the sea watched the three human girls as they dashed and frolicked in the water. Many of course had never seen such unusual beings. True, they did occasionally stumble upon one of the native woodland dwellers in a land less than ten miles away known as the Great Forest. And once in a blue moon, there were the two-legged scarcely-furred beasts from the north, who looked similar to Jessica, Natalie and Kimberly. But the Overlanders were cruel and cold-hearted to the wildlife, and so many animals learned to fear them. Yet here were these girls running by without so much as giving the sea creatures a glance.

While this both puzzled and amazed many of nearby animals, there were others who were somewhat unaffected by the girls' presence. They had grown used to the sight long ago, spying the three humans traveling with the inhabitants of the Great Forest from the air, or every once and a while jumping at a flash of blue in the corner of their eyes, and turning to see the silhouette of the girls running through the trees. No, the them, it was just another day.

So, once assured that the girls were harmless, the turtles and the gulls, the dolphins and the crabs went back to whatever they had been doing. Though, through the palms, one handsome creature still watched them with brilliant emerald eyes...

"Hey, Natalie, look," Jessica suddenly called, jumping up from beneath the water grasping a shell. "If you squint real hard, it kinda looks like Knuckles."

Natalie squinted her eyes and laughed. "Yeah, it does!" Then she sighed. "I wish we'd run into Knux..."

"I'm surprised we haven't already," said Kimberly. "Remember the last time we had a run-in with Robotnik? He had the Master Emerald."

"I heard Sally say that they later flew the emerald back to the Floating Island," said Jessica. "She said that Robotnik had set up barriers on the outside of the island to keep anyone from retrieving it."

"Bet Knux was ticked about that," Natalie nodded.

"I'm sure he was," Jess grinned. "It would be cool to go to the Floating Island someday though. It's supposed to be one of the most beautiful places on Mobius."

"It _is _the most beautiful place on Mobius," Nat corrected. "It's full of tropical jungles and ancient ruins, and incredible ice caps and valleys of fire. I'd give anything to live there."

"Well, maybe one day we will go," said Kimberly. "Maybe Dulcy can take us."

"And crash right into the Master Emerald shrine," Jessica snickered. "Knux would give us a _real _warm welcome then!"

"_Pow!_" said Natalie, with a punching gesture. "There we go off that island!"

They all giggled, and then Jess said, "We should ask Sonic to take us one of these days." And suddenly her eyes flashed. "Speaking of which, I wonder where--"

Before the girl could even finish her sentence there was a powerful rush of wind that tore past them so suddenly that it nearly dragged all three of them to the ground. There was a great plume of water that followed, drenching them all as it came down, and then a snort of laughter. All three girls looked up together, dripping wet. There, standing before them, was a sight a glorious creature that never failed to thrill Jessica. He was a hedgehog, proud and strong-willed as most hedgehogs on Mobius were, but of the most unusual color. From head to toe he was the most dazzling cerulean blue, save for the patches of golden-tan on his cheeks, arms and chest. Few creatures on Mobius could boast such a magnificent coloring, so it was no wonder he stood with great pride and confidence. His ears were long and pricked forward, and his quills fell well beyond his shoulders, all sleeked back beautifully. There couldn't be a Mobian of better build than he, for although he didn't seem all that muscular, his chest was deep, his torso was thin, and his legs were slender -- all indications that he was built for speed. Speed _and _power, for in his glittering emerald eyes there was a beam of courage and youthful spirit. And those eyes were almost always narrowed in a determined and defiant gaze, as if nothing on earth could ever daunt or intimidate him. No, the many perils that often arose in his world may have frightened even the boldest soldier, or daunted the bravest warrior, but not him. Not Sonic, leader of the Freedom Fighters.

Sonic smirked, perking an eyebrow. "You rang?"

"Good morning to you too, Sonic," Jessica grinned, and as always, there was a flicker of admiration in her eyes as she looked at him.

Sonic snickered. "What are you ladies doing all the way out here?"

"It was so darn hot in the village that we just had to go for a swim," answered Natalie.

"No doubt about that," he replied, shielding his eyes as he glanced up at the white disk of the sun. "It's the hottest summer I think we've ever had."

"So did you come here to cool off too, Sonic?" asked Jessica.

"Yeah -- and to get a little action. No one's in Knothole at the moment. Tails and Dulce are on lookout duty again, Sal's been out at Robotropolis in search of any spare machine parts, and Unc's busy in his lab, researching the Chaos Emeralds again."

"He's been at that for months now," said Kimberly. "Has even found anything about the possibility of linking Earth and Mobius again?"

Sonic shook his head a little sullenly. "No, I'm afraid. He keeps telling me over and over again that it could be near impossible to ever recreate the link again."

The girls hung their heads slightly, for they had now been on Mobius for nearly three years. Everyone in Knothole Village knew of their story -- how they had met Sonic and the Freedom Fighters long ago on Earth when the evil wizard Naugus cast the deadly Spell of Darkness on all of the universe; how they saved the world together and eventually parted; how a merely a year later they had been walking through a peaceful forest on Earth when suddenly they found themselves on Mobius, due to a link created through time and space by the legendary Chaos Emeralds; and how the chances of ever establishing the same exact link again were terribly slim. Though surprisingly, the girls showed very little disappointment in living in this new, wondrous world. The Freedom Fighters also knew that Jessica loved Sonic more than anything, and followed him like a shadow, and that Natalie was constantly helping out in the village, scouting or keeping lookout, and occasionally sitting out on a hilltop, gazing out wistfully into the night, as if searching for something. And they knew that Kimberly, too, often spent her time with Rotor, Tails or Princess Sally when they were repairing or creating new machines to aid them in the war against the tyrant, Robotnik. Each of them had fit in perfectly with the village, and when one is literally stranded in their greatest dream come-true, one often finds it hard to leave. This is why the three of them only looked slightly discouraged.

Sonic smiled to cheer them up. "Hey, Unc's smart, though. He'll find a way to get you three back home someday. Serious." He winked and gave them a thumbs-up.

Jessica returned his smile. "I'm in no hurry, to tell you the truth. Earth was great... but it's no Mobius." With that she turned to look out across the vast ocean as the sea breeze whipped across the sand. Just then an enormous wave rose nearly six feet over the water's surface, furling over slowly before slamming into the shore in an explosion of foam. More began to follow, and Sonic's eyes gleamed.

"Whoa, check out those swells!"

The three girls turned to him.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Jessica grinned widely.

Sonic whirled about and pawed the sand beneath his feet with a daring smirk on his face. "Get a good grip, girls! And _hang on!_"

They didn't need to be told twice. Together all three of them ran forward, Jessica holding onto Sonic's shoulders, Natalie onto Jessica and Kimberly onto Natalie. Once he was sure that everyone had a nice secure grip, Sonic leapt up into the air and revved his feet till they spun into blurs of blue beneath him. There was that momentary exhilaration as Sonic charged up his speed, and then, in a flash of cerulean he was gone, tearing across the sand and right across the surface of the water at an incredible velocity. Immediately he dashed for one of the incoming waves, and just as it began to curl over, he plunged into the tube. The girls watched in awe as the water literally swirled all around them in a vortex of emerald and turquoise. Normally there would have been at least some worry that the wave would collapse in over them, or that they would sink into the six-foot-deep water blow. But Sonic never once sunk an inch in that water, so fleetly did he glide over the surface, and his speed could beat that of the falling wave any day.

As soon as the swell came rolling toward the sand, Sonic raced just millimeters away from the curl, and then whirled around to catch the next wave. And so this merry game lasted for hours in that humid summer sun.

"I wonder if one of those stars is Earth," Jessica wondered aloud as she gazed up through the oaks at the dark skies above.

It was a clear, star-spattered night, and Sonic and the girls had a clear view of the turning galaxies that now spread all across the darkness.

"There's probably a ninety percent chance that one is," Sonic replied, folding his arms behind his head as he walked through the Great Forest, back toward Knothole Village.

"Speaking of that," said Natalie. "I wonder if one of the stars we used to see from Earth was Mobius."

"That's a possibility," Jessica chuckled, and was about to speak again, when suddenly a distant motion caught her eye. She turned her head to the right, where the movement had come from, and blinked. At first she saw nothing but the diamond starlight. But then, just as she was about to turn her head and move on again, it happened again. There came a flicker of blue across the sky, and she nearly had to whirl around just to catch a glimpse of it before it disappeared.

"What's wrong, Jess?" Natalie asked when she noticed Jessica had stopped.

"Nothing..." she replied hesitantly, still gazing in the direction of the motion. "I just thought I saw something."

Sonic pricked his ears when he heard this. "Saw something?"

"I think it was just a shooting star," the girl answered. "It was a flash of motion in the sky and--" she trailed off, for it had just come again. This time she managed to get a good look at it. It _was _a shooting star, but it was a deep, vibrant shade of blue, and it whisked across the heavens faster than her eyes could follow. And all at once a very familiar sensation filled Jessica's soul: that mixture of wonder and foreboding that she had felt so many times before... only this time it was different... This time there was a new power in the emotions it gave her... a new sort of awe... and a new sort of apprehension. Then, something happened that had never happened before. There came a flash in the girl's vision, and then she was suddenly looking out into a mystifying emerald forest, in a place she had never seen before. There was a dreamy haze about the place, and a gentle breeze whispering through the trees, blowing the leaves and white flowers that grew in some of the branches nearby. It was incredibly beautiful, wherever it was, and for a second Jess could almost see something cerulean in the distance. But before she could look closer, there was another flash and then the vision was gone.

This all happened in the course of a second and Jessica shook her head, blinking, quite confused. "Whoa..." was all she could say.

"Jess, you OK?"

The girl gazed up to see everyone looking at her intently now.

"I-I don't what happened... I was looking out at the stars when... when I suddenly found myself in the most beautiful forest I had ever seen."

Kimberly stared at her. "You found yourself in a forest? Like a vision?"

"Yeah... I think so..." came her answer.

"Way past strange," said Sonic. "And you said you saw somethin' before that?"

Jessica nodded, bewildered. "I don't know what happened... it was so weird..."

Sonic was about to say something, when he suddenly stopped and turned to look over his shoulder, his ears pricked again.

"What is it?" asked Nat.

"Thought I heard footsteps..." Sonic answered in a whisper, his eyes scanning through the darkness.

Then, directly ahead of them, a dark figure emerged from the trees, striding right toward them. It was hard to make out who or what it was, but there was something glinting silver in the moonlight.

Sonic bristled his quills slightly. "Who goes there?"

Suddenly the stranger stepped out from under the shade of the trees, and her features were now distinguishable. She was a hedgehog like Sonic, only dark violet in color with long bangs that fell over her dark eyes. She was cloaked completely in black, with a long cape about her neck and armor on her shoulders. In her hand she clasped a sword, and it was this that had caught the moonlight. Now, she stooped down before Sonic in a respectful bow.

"It is only I, Sonic, Nihara," she answered calmly, and Sonic and the girls relaxed immediately, for they knew Nihara well.

"Oh, it's only you, Nihara," said Sonic.

"Is everything OK, brother?" Nihara asked, rising.

"Yeah, everything's cool. We were just worried because Jess said she had seen something. What brings you out here?"

"Uncle Chuck has urgent news for you and the girls, Sonic," Nihara announced quickly. "He has called a meeting and Knothole and asks you come immediately."

"Urgent news?" Kimberly asked.

"What is it?" Sonic inquired, his eyes grave.

"I'm not sure," Nihara replied. "I doubt it is anything bad, but he does ask that you come and quick."

"Let's go then," said Sonic, and in an instant he and the girls were off. Nihara trailed them, jogging through the forest on her surefooted gait. She was nowhere near as quick as Sonic, but Knothole wasn't far off, and she was still quick on her feet.

"What do you think Uncle Chuck's found?" Kimberly asked as they sprinted along.

Natalie shrugged. "Dunno... Maybe Robotnik's come around again?"

Kimberly shuddered. "Can't we go for two years at least without having him show up?"

"It's not likely. What do you suppose, Jess?" asked Natalie.

Jessica could scarcely hear her friends at the moment, for her mind was suddenly very preoccupied. What was it she had just seen? And why had it come about? She had never experienced a real vision before, at least not one so incredibly vivid. It was like somehow she had been teleported to a different world completely. Well, she didn't understand the vision at all, but she did understand what the blue star was. Many times before she had seen that same star, from the very first time she met Sonic in person to their most recent adventure, and from what she had experienced, it always meant that something was about to happen. This stirred the girl's spirits greatly. For already something was taking place in Knothole according to Nihara. Could it be that the next grand adventure was about to unfold?

"Jess?"

"Huh?" Jessica looked around to see Natalie and Kimberly looking at her again. "Oh... I'm not sure..."

"You sure you're all right?" asked Kimberly.

"I'm fine, I'm just thinking..."

"About the vision?" said Natalie. "Maybe you should talk to Uncle Chuck or Sally when we get to the village. They could probably help ya."

Jessica nodded, but her thoughts were in a frenzy now, and she just couldn't stop thinking on it. There was something else about the premonition that made her wonder... That sense of apprehension -- almost fear -- that had come with it. She knew from previous events that when the star appeared that bad things would happen, but never had to worry because Sonic and the Freedom Fighters always fought them. But normally there was only a sense of foreboding... not nervousness. What was coming up that she and the others had to fear?

Suddenly Sonic pulled up at the edges of Knothole Village, crossing the wooden bridge over the Great River and slowing to a brisk jog as he traveled over the dirt path leading toward the huts. Already many Freedom Fighters were gathered, including Bunnie, Rotor, Tails, Dulcy, Antoine, and many of the other villagers. They were thronged at Uncle Chuck's lab, and seemed to very excited about something. They were talking amongst themselves and looking out impatiently for both Sonic and his uncle. When they saw him and the girls approaching, Tails rushed forward.

"Sonic! There you are! Uncle Chuck's got somethin' to tell us all -- especially Jessica, Natalie and Kimberly."

"Us?" Kimberly asked, blinking.

"Where is he, lil' bro?" Sonic inquired.

"Inside," answered Tails. "He was just waiting for you and Sally."

"Do me a favor, bud, and tell him I'm here. Sal should be here soon."

The young fox nodded quickly and ran off to fetch Uncle Chuck. Sonic then turned to the girls.

"Wonder what's up."

"What could it be about us?" Jessica asked rather nervously.

"Guess we'll find out soon enough," said Natalie.

A few seconds passed and Nihara soon joined the group. "Has he come yet?

"No," said Sonic. "But he should--" Suddenly he broke off when he heard the lab door open. Turning eagerly, the gathered Freedom Fighters saw Uncle Chuck standing in the doorway, his eyes fixed on the three girls.

"Sonic!" he exclaimed, running toward them. "Girls! Thank goodness you've come! I have very important news for you!"

"What is it Unc?" Sonic asked, pricking his ears immediately.

And then all the other Freedom Fighters crowded forward to hear the answer.

"Yes, Uncle Chuck what is it?"

"Tell us what it is, please!"

"Let's hear it, sugah!"

The elder hedgehog had to raise his mechanical arms for silence. "Knothole Village! Please lend me your ears, for I have made a great discovery that concerns our three newest Freedom Fighters greatly!"

Instantly the eyes of the village were turned on the girls, who could only stand and watch anxiously, waiting. Uncle Chuck stepped up onto a stump, and then he made his announcement:

"Freedom Fighters, after nearly two years of rigorous research and study of the Chaos Emeralds, I believe I have discovered a way to recreate a link through time and space." The group gasped and looked at each other in astonishment. Then Uncle Chuck continued. "We all know how the three girls have come to live on our dear planet Mobius. Because of Robotnik tampering with the balance of power in the Chaos Emeralds, several rifts in time and space were created. One of them provided a link from the girls' native planet Earth to Mobius. Well, today, I think I have discovered a way to establish that same exact link."

Hearing this, the girls froze, Jessica especially. Together they stared intently at Chuck, unable to speak.

Sonic stepped forward, a very surprised look on his face as well. "How, Unc?"

"There is a power that the Chaos Emeralds possess," Uncle Chuck replied slowly. "A power known as 'Chaos Control.' It is an ancient power that very few people know of, but it can warp time and space, allowing whoever activates the power to teleport through time, whether it be to a few minutes into the future, to a totally different universe! But to prove my theory, I will have to research Chaos Control further, as there are a few 'perks' about it."

Sonic tilted his head in confusion. "What d'ya mean 'perks?'"

"Supposedly there is only one that could ever truly master the power of Chaos Control. A mysterious project of some type, but of that I know very little. I will have to look into it as soon as possible."

"Only one?" asked Sonic.

Then Jessica spoke for the first time. "B-But who else could master the Chaos Emeralds?"

"As I have said, I'm not sure," Chuck replied with a shrug. "But I also know that Chaos Control can be very risky as well. If not activated correctly or accurately, Chaos Control can teleport anyone or anything to different rifts in time. It can even take a chunk of one world and send it to a different world completely. The results are random unless handled the right way."

Now only silence answered Uncle Chuck, for the three girls were completely and utterly surprised. Never had they dreamed that the link between Earth and Mobius would actually be recreated... Just that morning they had thought of it, and how impossible it was. Again they were filled with a mixture a feelings. At last they had a chance to return home after nearly three years. But that meant that they would have to leave everything... Knothole, the Freedom Fighters, _Sonic_... And just the thought of that made Jessica's heart ache. Already once before she had had to say good-bye to Sonic, and it had been unbearable, even though they had been reunited a year later. But that had been then. Now Jessica had experienced so much with Sonic, and her feelings had deepened for him so much, that she couldn't even comprehend the idea of leaving him. It was a sacrilege in her eyes.

"So..." Tails said suddenly, his tone meek. "Does that mean... Natalie, Kimberly and Jessica will have to... leave?"

Again there was nervous mutterings and whispers, then all eyes turned up to Chuck again.

"Well," he said. "They have to return home sooner or later, I'm afraid. Think about how you'd feel if you were stranded on an unfamiliar planet. Wouldn't you want to return home too?"

"No..." Jessica whispered suddenly, taking a step backwards. The full impact of Uncle Chuck's news was beginning to hit her.

"I'm sure we'd all miss them terribly," Uncle Chuck said quickly once he saw the concern in their gazes. "I know I would, trust me. After all, they've proven themselves remarkable Freedom Fighters and have even seemed to bring more adventure into all of our lives. But I'm also sure that they want to go back to their real home."

Sonic looked back at the girls, and then at his uncle, for realization was hitting him too. "But... Unc, maybe we should talk it over with them first?"

Then Natalie suddenly stepped forward. "We can't go... We won't!"

Uncle Chuck and the other Freedom Fighters all goggled at them now.

"But, don't you girls want to go home?" Chuck asked.

"I miss some things on home," said Natalie. "But I love Mobius, and I don't want to leave." There was a strange flash in her eyes as she said this.

"Neither do I," Jessica said shakily.

Sonic stood beside them, his eyes very worried indeed. He had grown to know the three girls so well that it would almost be too much to lose them. And like them, he had never expected the possibility of them being able to return home to come up so soon.

Chuck scratched his head, puzzled. "Well, as I have said I do have to research this idea more thoroughly. It might just lead to a dead end. Who knows? But I thought I should let it be known."

With that he stepped down again and walked back inside his lab.

Sonic turned round to his friends. "Don't worry, girls... If you don't want to go home, y'know... you don't have too."

"I can't leave..." Jessica shuddered, very near trembling. "I can't leave Mobius... not again."

"Maybe we should do as Uncle Chuck says and just stay calm," Kimberly suggested. "It might not be anything."

"I hope not," nodded Natalie. "I'm not leaving either."

"Sonic," Jessica pleaded. "Please tell Uncle Chuck we're sorry... but we cant' -- we won't -- go home..."

"It'll be all right," Sonic assured her with a weak smile. "No one's gonna force you to go. Trust me, I won't let 'im."

Jessica tried to return Sonic's smile, and as usual his words calmed her a little, but she was still deeply troubled inside. So was this what the star had predicted? But how could that be? Every other time the star and the feelings that came with it were associated with Sonic and a grand adventure. And that vision... That was no place on Earth, Jessica was sure of it. Earth was beautiful, yes, but Mobius was a spectacle of natural beauty that no other planet could even dream of rivaling. There were forbidden vallies of lava and fire, and towering mountains of ice, where the winds blew so hard at times that the icicles formed horizontal to the trees. There were lush gardens that hid ancient ruins forgotten by time itself. So many mysteries and beauties were concealed on Mobius... and that forest scene was definitely a part of it, though the girl was sure she had never seen such a place in her life.

Whatever the star and its vision was about, Jessica knew one thing: she wasn't leaving Mobius behind. Not now, not ever. She used to dread it every day, and feel terrible pangs of loneliness whenever she'd look into Sonic's eyes. Going a whole year without his company had tormented her greatly, and she didn't want to go through that again ever.

Natalie and Kimberly were going through similar feelings. Both of them had become so well accustomed to the way of life on this dazzling planet that returning to regular old Earth seemed so empty. Here there reality seemed to hold no limits over dreams. Here there were challenges and excitement, missions and dangers that taught a person far more than any scholar ever could. Kimberly, for one, had become great friends with Princess Sally, fellow leader of the Freedom Fighters, Bunnie, one of the group's strongest fighters, and Rosie, the cook and the nanny who watched over the village's children. And then there was Natalie... For whatever reason, there was a peculiar light in her eyes whenever she spoke of leaving Mobius... as if she knew there was something she'd lose if she left. And like Jessica, she loved Mobius and all the wonder it had to offer. No, compared to Mobius, Earth was a boring, lifeless planet.

Sonic let out a long sigh. "Well, try to get some sleep, girls. I'll talk to Sal as soon as she comes back."

"Speaking of which," said Kimberly. "Where is she anyway?"

Kimberly's timing couldn't have been better, for just as she was saying this, the princess was coming across the bridge... And she was not alone. Behind her followed three creatures. One of them, walking toward Sally's right, was a pretty black and white cat with glistening green eyes and a long, bushy tail. A blue bandanna was tied about her small neck, and she wore a scarlet vest and two golden rings about her wrists. Her name was Hershey and she had an air of gentleness about her as she walked placidly alongside Sally. Behind the princess was a rather peculiar little creature. Like Sonic, he was blue, but not nearly as brilliant. He was a chameleon, distinguished by the short horn on his lower forehead and the long curled tail. He was called Valdez, and seemed pleasant and charming himself. The third creature, however, was different. He was a skunk, muscular in build, and unlike the other two, he walked with a more arrogant stride. His eyes were a deep blue, and glinted with pride. And all this was for good reason, for he was dressed like a soldier -- a commander, in fact. He wore a violet ammunition belt that strapped across his waisted and his chest, heavy leater boots, and a wool hat over his forehead that was also violet. He was none other than Geoffrey St. John.

Soon Sonic and the girls saw them approaching, and ran up to meet them.

"Sonic," called Sally. "We've got company tonight. Of course you remember commander Geoffrey St. John and his troops Valdez and Hershey?"

Geoffrey stood tall, squared his shoulders and saluted, though there was something almost contemptuous in his voice. "G'day, mate," he said in a thick Australian accent.

The moment Sonic saw Geoffrey he pinned his ears, and the girls were sure they saw his quills bristle slightly. The two were rivals -- and some even believed them to be enemies. They were both well matched in strength, will and spirit, and not to mention Geoffrey had an eye for the princess. Several times he and Sonic had gotten into bitter disputes, some physical, and every time the two of them crossed paths they never took their eyes off of each other.

"Geoffrey." Sonic said coldly. Then he turned to Sally. "What's up Sal? What brings _him_ here?"

"I came across them on my way back from Robotropolis. And they have very important news, so behave yourself, Sonic Hedgehog." With that she gave him a hard warning glare.

"More news..." Jessica breathed. This was all happening too fast. It was beginning to make her head spin. Now what was happening?

Sonic gave a light snort and then turned to St. John again. "What is it?"

"I think it's best we round up the whole village, mate. It's important, all right. Maybe even serious enough to force us to take action."

"Jessica, Kimberly, Natalie," Sally said softly. "Can you go and help gather the other Freedom Fighters? Get Tails and Dulcy to help you. We'll lead Geoffrey and the others to the main plaza."

The girls nodded silently, and set off into the village. But as they went, they could clearly hear Sonic and Geoffrey speaking far behind them.

"This is bad business I'm afraid. I think it'd be wise for us to join forces once again."

"Yeah," came Sonic's dry reply. "That'll work perfectly."

"Is there a problem with that, mate?" Geoffrey asked, a hint of arrogance in his voice.

"No. No problem at all."


	2. Chapter 2 Heavy Hearts

**.:Chapter 2:.**

**Heavy Hearts**

"Who are they?" Nihara asked suspiciously, leaning over toward Sonic as Sally led Geoffrey and his troops to the main plaza.

"Commander Geoffrey St. John, Hershey and Valdez," he replied lowly. "Now Valdez and Hershey you can trust."

"I'm not so sure if I like the commander's eyes," said Nihara, looking hard at St. John. "There is a darkness present." Nihara, who had lived years on her own before she had met Sonic, had become an excellent judge of character, having to rely on the look in someone's eyes to determine whether they could be trusted or not. And as usual, she was right. There was a strange, ambitious glint in Geoffrey's eyes, and Sonic didn't like it either. Normally the commander acted polite and benevolent around his troops and his superiors. But Sonic had learned long ago what he was _really_ like.

"Is he dangerous?" Nihara ventured.

Sonic shook his head. "No. His greatest weapon against an enemy is his crossbow. No, if he knows what's good for him, he won't get out of line."

"If he does..." Nihara hissed, drawing her swords. "I'll give him a good slashing."

Sonic smiled weakly at her, glad at least someone other than him felt the same about St. John.

Up ahead the village had gathered again, and now everyone was looking at the visitors anxiously.

"What else is gonna go on tonight?" Bunnie was asking in the center of the crowd. "Ain't no one gonna get a wink of sleep tonight the way things are goin'..."

"I'm sure it's nothing too serious, Bunnie," Rotor reassured her. "It's probably nothing we can't handle."

"Probably, sugah," she replied. Then she lowered her voice to a whisper. "But y'all know how ugly things can get when that Geoffrey St. John's around. He and Sonic ain't exactly two peas in a pod."

Rotor could only nod quietly and glance at Sonic as he strode into the plaza and made his way up to the podium where Sally, St. John and his troops were waiting.

Jessica was watching Sonic's every move now, for having become extremely adept at reading his emotions, she could sense the tension inside him. She understood the conflict between him and Geoffrey, as did many of the other Freedom Fighters. However, she was far too upset with Uncle Chuck's news to take part in the conversations that were going on. Natalie was experiencing much the same feelings, and kept equally silent. The only one that seemed particularly interested in what was going on was Kimberly. She watched the newcomers on the podium as Sally rose her hands for silence.

"Freedom Fighters," she began. "Please give your undivided attention to Commander Geoffrey St. John and his troops, Valdez and Hershey. They've an important announcement for us all." Then she stepped aside. "St. John."

Geoffrey stepped forward, the clunk of his boots against the wood making him sound heavier than he really was. Sonic pricked his ears, but his eyes remained narrowed. Close by Nihara sat with one sword in her lap, smoothing the blade with her fingertips and eyeing the commander coldly. Everyone else in the crowd craned forward, listening.

"My fellow rebels," said St. John. "My troops and I have very serious news to announce, and thought it quite serious enough to alert the Freedom Fighter groups. It may even be necessary to take immediate action. Just this morning my troops and I were called out far, far to the west to a small village well beyond the Great Mountains. The villagers seemed greatly disturbed about something, but we didn't understand what until the leader explained to us that strange sightings had been going on."

"Sightings?" asked Rotor.

"Yes, mate. According to the villagers, something had been raiding the supply holds. They never got a clear look at just who or what the culprit was, but they always discovered the doors torn clear off their hinges, and the supplies in the room thrown about as if the suspect was searching for something. When my troops and I examined the crime scenes, all we found were a few strange footprints, and the grass and wood by the holds singed slightly. Now as I have said, no one got a good look at the culprit. They only told us that what they did see were blurs of black in the night."

Now Sonic tilted his head. "Blurs?"

"That's right, mate," Geoffrey nodded. "Blurs and flashes. And it was always a dark silhouette they saw. They could never distinguish the suspect's features. So my team and I stayed in the village that night to investigate. We took a free hut and waited there until dusk, for the raids so far had only happened in the dead of night. Well, for hours we saw nothing unusual. The supply holds were padlocked and guarded, and the residents were going about their business without disruption. No, it was well after midnight until a sound from outside awoke me from my sleep. I thought I heard a quick rushing sound, and then a loud crash. I roused my comrades as quickly as possible, and in an instant we were outdoors, dashing toward the supply hold where we found the door mutilated, reduced to nothing more than a pile of splintered wood scattered on the ground. The supplies inside were strewn all across the room, but when we scoped out the area, we found no one in sight. The only thing we did discover about the crime, however..." St. John paused, his eyes becoming grave. "was that a Chaos Emerald had been _stolen._"

And at this the air was filled with gasps and worried murmurs. Even the girls looked up with startled eyes, for few things were more serious than the theft of a Chaos Emerald. Everyone knew that they possessed unlimited powers -- powers beyond the mortal imagination. And when all seven of them are collected, the power magnifies to biblical proportions. It was no surprise that many a dark soul saught out the seven Chaos Emeralds for the ultimate source of energy.

Sonic stepped forward, and now his eyes too were very grave. "Just one?"

"Yes, only one so far. But the point is, someone's after the power of the emeralds, and it won't be long until another one is taken." St. John looked carefully at everyone before him now. "You all know what this means, mates . . . We got ourselves an emerald crisis."

"Now we need to figure out who's stealing the emeralds and why." said Sally.

"I think it's pretty obvious why," Sonic muttered. "They're after the power like St. John said. And that's never a good thing."

"But _why _would they need that power?" Sally questioned.

"And just _who _is this 'blur of black' that's takin' it?" asked Bunnie.

"That's why we've come to you tonight, mates," said Geoffrey. "We need to figure out who the theif is, and just what he plans to do with a Chaos Emerald."

"Perhaps whoever's taken it doesn't necessarily want the power," Uncle Chuck spoke up suddenly. "Many people mistake the emeralds for nothing more than valuable jewels, on account of their size and brilliance."

"It's a possibility," came Geoffrey's answer. "but one I seriously doubt, mate. All the other holds were torn apart, with all the other valuable treasures that may have been found there untouched, so this fellow was lookin' for something special. Plus, many people wouldn't just take an emerald for its looks. No mate, they're after what's _inside._"

"Just where was this village located, St. John?" Sally inquired.

"About a hundred and twenty miles west of here," he answered. "just below the Floating Island."

Natalie lifted her head immediately. "The Floating Island?"

St. John turned to her, a glimmer of curiosity in his eyes. "So these are the three famous Overlander creatures?"

"They're _humans_, St. John," Sonic corrected, his ears lowering again. "Don't go around callin' 'em Overlanders either . . . Some people are ready to pounce just at the mention of that name."

"Ah," Geoffrey said quickly. "Begging your pardon then, miss. You've heard of the Floating Island?"

"Heard of it! I know that island from top to bottom!" Nat exclaimed.

"They know just about everything about Mobius," Sonic almost snickered. "You should have been there when we first met." He winked in Jessica's direction, but she still had her head lowered thoughtfully. Lowering his ears this time more in concern, he quietly turned back to St. John. "You were saying?"

"Ah. Yes. Just below the Floating Island it was, Princess."

"Quite a travel . . ." Sally whispered to herself. "No matter. We had better head out there ourselves too and investigate this."

"I agree, Princess," St. John nodded.

"Have you alerted in other Freedom Fighter groups?" she asked.

"No, Princess. We thought it wise to reach the leading group first. After all, we needed a great detective mind like yours, Princess." He smiled slyly and winked, and Sonic suddenly found himself clenching his fists.

Sally tried not to smile. "We'll let the others know, just to have them on alert. If anything else happens, we may need their help. In the meantime, we had better send out reconnaisance teams."

Geoffrey lifted his hat and bowed. "Allow me and my troops, Princess. We'd be honored to--"

Before he could even finish Sonic stepped up in front of him. "That would be for _us _to decide, St. John." There was something sharp in his gaze as he looked at the commander.

"Whatever you say." There was an attempt to sound unaffected, but St. John failed miserably. His pride would not be smothered so easily.

"Sonic," Sally whispered warningly. Then she looked back up at Geoffrey. "We'll have to discuss this further in the morning. We'll have to establish connections with these villagers in case something else happens. As of now, let's all get some rest. It's late, and if we really do have a problem at hand, then we had better save our energy."

With that the crowd began to disperse. The girls lingered where they were, and St. John would have done the same if Sally had no ordered him and the others to go with Rotor and try and contact the villagers. Once everyone seemed out of earshot, Sally turned on Sonic sharply.

"Is it too much to ask for you to just keep that ego of yours under control for two seconds?"

"Hey, I didn't do anything to him," Sonic retorted, his ears pinning again. "And if anyone needs to watch their ego, it's him."

"Sonic," Sally sighed.

"You know we don't get along, Sal. I'll be civil to 'im as long as he's civil to us, but if he's gonna start acting like an idiot, then I'm gonna put him in his place."

"You can't treat him like he's under you, Sonic. He's a commander, too."

Sonic rounded on her now. "Excuse me? _I'm _a leader, myself. As long as he's here, he's does what _I _say."

"That may be true, but I'm a leader too. And we should come to a decision as one, now shouldn't we? Now promise me you'll try and keep this jealousy problem of yours at bay."

Sonic was still angry, but perhaps Sally was right. Perhaps he was overreacting. Finally he unfurled his clenched fists and allowed himself to relax. "OK, OK . . . But let's not let him forget who runs the Knothole Freedom Fighters, hmm?"  
Sally shook her head as she walked off, and as she passed the girls looked up curiously. While it was true that Sonic and Sally were both well-matched in willpower, and that they argued often, it was uncommon for them to argue as seriously as this. Jessica was concerned.

"Sonic, is everything OK?" she asked, putting her pervious fears aside for a moment.

"Yeah, don't mind us," Sonic nodded slowly. "Ya OK, Jess?"

"I'm worried, Sonic . . ." she answered honestly, lowering her head. "I-I don't want to go home . . . "

Sonic tilted his head and Kimberly stared at her friend.

"Don't want to go home?" Kim asked.

"Well . . . Not so soon . . . I don't know . . ."

Sonic sat beside her and gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Don't worry, Jess. Like I said, no one's forcin' ya. Plus, with the Chaos Emerald problem, I don't think you'll have to worry about it now anyway."

"Sonic," Natalie said suddenly. "Are you guys going to head out to that village St. John was talking about?"

"Maybe," he answered. "if more things are stolen, which is likely. Why?"

"Could we come with you if you go?"

"Of course, Nat," he replied. "Y'all should know by now that it'd be impossible to have a good adventure without ya. Well, I'm gonna go help the others. Don't fret, gals, it'll be OK." He winked and headed off into the village.

Kimberly turned to Natalie. "What was that about, Nat?"

"The Floating Island," Natalie replied, as if the name explained it all. "Do y'all remember _who _lives on the Floating Island?"

"_Oh,_" Kim nodded understandingly.

Jessica just sat quietly, thinking on all that had occurred in the course of the night, especially that strange vision. An adventure had indeed begun. But little did she and the others know, that it would be their greatest adventure yet.


	3. Chapter 3 The Floating Island

**.:Chapter 3:.**

**The Floating Island**

That night none of the girls could sleep well. Every time Jessica closed her eyes she saw visions of the past – adventures she and the others had embarked on with Sonic. She saw the evil sorcerer Ixis Naugus once again, casting the Spell of Darkness over the universe, and unleashing his legion of Night Demons to enslave all life. Then she saw the return of Mobius's oldest enemy, Dr. Robotnik, and his new robotic creation Black threatening to take over the Great Forest once and for all. Then, last but certainly not least, she saw Nihara before she had met Sonic and the other Freedom Fighters, standing at Robotnik's side with her swords drawn, eyes narrowed coldly, and scenes from the eruption of the legendary Final Power returned . . . There was Sonic, only he was glowing in a blinding white, his red eyes piercing through the air, wielding the strongest power of the Chaos Emeralds ever known. Jessica shivered.  
She remembered how Sonic had triumphed in all of these remarkable escapades, how he had fought to his last reserve of strength – if there even was an end . . . how he had encouraged the others to look up and hold their heads high in the darkest hour, and stand together, no matter what the odds. He had battled the Night Demons and Naugus's Red Glow while the world burned and cracked open around him; he had looked Black in the eyes even when the robot had possession of all seven Chaos Emeralds without a trace of fear, and snatched victory from the jaws of defeat to save Knothole and the entire planet of Mobius; and he had taken the very greatest of powers right out of Robotnik's hands, opened Nihara's eyes to the light, and even reversed death.   
Sonic . . . It would be him she would miss the most. It was because of him that she was even living this dream. If she didn't believe in him, he would never have come to her in the first place. And after all, it had only been their last adventure where the girl had looked deep into his magnificent emerald eyes and confessed how truly she loved him, how she longed for him to love her in return. And even though she knew from the beginning that possibility was just too good to ever be true, her love for him still deepened with every day . . . deepened like the ocean with every step in his shadow she took, deepened like a midnight dream whenever she could be close to him. Oh, how could they ever expect her to leave him?  
Then there was Natalie. Somewhere after midnight she found herself sitting up in her bed and gazing out into the night again, searching, searching through the darkness, beyond the stars and the silver orb of the moon, for something. Just what that something was remained unknown to her friends, but there was the deepest longing in her eyes as well.   
"I know you're out there somewhere . . ." she whispered to herself. "And no matter what it takes, I'm going to find you."   
There was something different beginning to show in the girl's eyes – something her friends had failed to notice yet. There was a spark, similar to the one that flared in Jessica's eyes whenever she saw Sonic, only it seemed to still be searching for the one it sought.  
And finally, there came Kimberly. Ever since Uncle Chuck's announcement a strange sort of confusion had entered her mind. She didn't want to leave Mobius, but then again, she did. She missed Earth dearly, despite the fascinating things she had learned and seen in the world of the Freedom Fighters. But this wasn't what puzzled her so . . . Several times during the night, when she closed her eyes and tried to sleep, somewhere in the depths of her mind, there seemed to be a voice whispering to her.  
"_Home_," it urged. "_Earth is where you belong. This is all just a dream, a silly fantasy . . . You must return someday_."  
She knew that nothing could ever convince Jessica or Natalie to leave. But she couldn't possibly leave without them . . . could she? Leave her two best friends in the world? And would Natalie and Jess ever allow her to leave in the first place?  
Sighing she sat up her bed too, and noticed the other two awake and uneasy.  
"Can't you two sleep either?" she asked sleepily.  
Jessica shook her head slowly, but said nothing. Her eyes were fixed on the floor sadly.  
"What kept you up, Nat?" Kim asked, for she understood well why Jess wouldn't sleep.  
"Nothing . . ." She replied lowly. "Just couldn't get comfortable . . . That moon is beautiful tonight."   
The other two girls turned their eyes toward the great moon that hung far over the mountains in the distance. It was no Earth moon – it glowed white and wild, like a sphere of ice in the sky. And it was larger than Earth's moon, being younger and closer to the planet. And tonight there seemed to be an eerie beauty about it, a mysterious beauty that so many things on Mobius possessed.  
Kim let out another sigh. "I wouldn't worry too much about leaving . . . After all, it might not even be that bad."  
Jessica and Natalie looked carefully at their friend.  
". . . Look, I know Mobius is a wonderful place," she said slowly. "B-but whether we like it or not, one day. . . One day we're going to have to leave. We can't stay here forever."  
"I can . . ." Jessica whispered.   
"And leave your home, your family and everything you loved on Earth behind?" Kimberly inquired.  
Jessica just stared at the floor of the hut silently for a moment, and then nodded. "It's . . . hard . . . But I can't leave him again." She closed her eyes painfully. "It was just too hard the first time, and I nearly forgot the glory of this place . . ."  
Natalie's eyes averted back to the moon again as she listened. That night sky seemed so strangely intriguing . . .  
"Jess, I know how you feel about Sonic," Kimberly was saying. "But suppose you had to leave him someday anyway. What would you do then?"  
"I'd never leave him," Jessica moaned, shaking her head defiantly. "Never . . . Nothing could ever force me to."  
Kimberly looked hard at her. "Not even if he wanted you to?"  
Jessica fell sullenly silent, and just hung her head as her eyes filled with tears. "They can't make me leave . . . S-Sonic even said that he'd prefer us to stay here, with him. I can't . . ."  
Kimberly moved over and patted her friend's shoulder reassuringly. "I know," she whispered. "I know how you love him. If I found someone I truly loved, I wouldn't leave him either."  
Natalie turned her head to gaze at her companions, when suddenly her eyes darted back to the window. A faint flicker of light had caught her eye. Curiously she squinted through the blackness to see the source of the light. For a long while she saw nothing, and was thinking it may have just be a distant signal light from Freedom Fighters on lookout, when suddenly it came again, and this time it stayed. There was a faint glow of green very far in the distance -- so far in fact that it was no bigger than the stars that surrounded it. But it was no star . . . For every few seconds or so, the light would pulse, the glow intensifying until it became a brief flash, and then it contracted again.

"Guys!" Natalie shouted.

"What is it?" Kimberly asked.

"Look at this," Natalie pointed to the pulsing light in the distance. Just as Jessica and Kimberly looked out the window, it's glow expanded again.

"What is that?" Jessica inquired.

"It's green . . . " Kim whispered. "What in the world--?"

"Whoa . . . " Natalie gasped suddenly.

"What's wrong?" Jessica and Kimberly turned immediately toward her, but Natalie didn't answer. There had come another flash, but this time it was in her mind's eye. Abruptly the world around her faded away, and she was suddenly standing out in the middle of a great field of green, lost somewhere deep in the mountains. Directly ahead of her was a set of ancient ruins, some crumbled and covered beneath quilts of moss, while some still stood intact. She could just barely make out a stone stairway, lined with columns that were all rugged on the tops, as if the original tops had been blown off. The stairway went up and up to form great shrine, speckled with heiroglyphics that somehow seemed all too familiar to her. And then, at the very top of the shrine, she was suddenly aware of a massive glow of emerald green that blazed brighter than the sun. She couldn't see what the source of the light was, but the greatest sense of wonder, of belonging suddenly filled her heart that she just wanted nothing more than to run up the stone steps and be _home_. Then, all at once, it was gone.

"Natalie?"

Nat blinked to see Jessica and Kimberly staring at her. "Whoa . . . Suddenly I saw these ancient ruins in front of me . . . And a green glow . . ."  
"What are you talking about?" Kimberly inquired.

"Jess, remember how you had that vision?"  
"You had one too?" asked Jessica, her eyes widening.

"Yeah. . . It looked like a shrine, and there was this glow in front of me and it was so weird but I--I felt so at home there . . ."

"A glow? A glow of green?" Jessica looked out the window, and sure enough the flicker of green was still throbbing in the distance.

"So you both have had visions . . ." said Kimberly. "I suppose I'm next . . . But what in the world can they mean?"

Jessica was about to answer, when suddenly there came a flash of blue outside.

"Sonic!" said Jessica, and the girls all ran up to the window to see what was going on. Outside they found many of the Freedom Fighters gathered near the central plaza again, Sally, Rotor, Uncle Chuck, Geoffrey and Sonic among them.

"What's going on?" Kimberly whispered as they watched.

The Freedom Fighters seemed to be very excited over something, for they moved about hurriedly and talked amongst themselves loudly. Suddenly the girls heard Rotor say ". . . This sighting was on the Floating Island . . . the Master Emerald . . ."

"Did he say the Master Emerald?" Natalie gasped.

Jessica and Kimberly nodded, and continued to listen. Sonic began to pace nervously.

"You know what happens when the island loses the power of the Master Emerald?" he was saying gravely. "It'll fall, right into the ocean . . . That village is going to be flooded in no time flat."

"We have to warn them," said Geoffrey. "Isn't there time before it falls?"

"The report came just two minutes ago," answered Sally, looking down at the screen of her portable computer, Nicole. "The only other thing the leader of the village said was that the whole area was being evacuated. If they have any type of vehicles, they should be fine."

"I think I remember seeing some old hover units and air cruisers," Hershey spoke up suddenly. "That's right, because Valdez helped one of the villagers to repair one."

"Well, at least they have a chance," Sonic replied. "But what about the residents on the Floating Island? How safe will they be?"

"That no one can answer . . . " said Sally. "I do know that the island has far more residents than any villages below it, no matter how forbidden it is. As for their safety, that's up to the Guardian."

For the second time that night, Natalie looked up immediately, her eyes now locked on Sally and the others.

"Where was the mate when the emerald was stolen is what I'd like to know," St. John muttered.

"Well who knows how dangerous whatever stole it was?" Bunnie asked. "We have no clue . . . And that's why this is so important."

"What should we do?" Rotor questioned, looking up at the leaders.

Sonic narrowed his eyes. "What else? We've got to head out there immediately -- not only to make sure everyone's all right and help anyone who may be in danger, but figure out what's behind all of this. Stealing a Chaos Emerald is one thing, but when someone takes the Master Emerald -- the one thing that is used to control and deactivate the Chaos Emeralds -- that's when we need to worry."

The girls looked at each other in astonishment. At first they could hardly speak, but suddenly Natalie was running out the doorway, exclaiming, "We're going to the Floating Island!"

"Nat! Wait up!" Jess smiled and she and Kimberly followed their friend toward the other Freedom Fighters.

In the center of the village Sally was already organizing the groups while Dulcy prepared for take-off. Sonic saw the three girls coming, and jogged over to meet them.

"You guys woke up quick--you heard the news then?" he asked.

"Yes," Natalie panted as she skidded to a stop in front of him. "About the Floating Island! Sonic, are we really going?"

Sonic nodded quickly. "Yes. We have no choice. Something fishy is up . . ." He suddenly noticed Natalie looked anxiously at the dragon as Sally mounted up front. "Everything OK, Nat?"

"Huh? Yeah." She answered shortly and began to walk closer to Dulcy.

"She said she had a vision, too, Sonic," Jessica explained. "About some kind of shrine . . . "

"Shrine?" Sonic tilted his head.

"Yeah," nodded Kimberly. "And just a few minutes ago, we saw some kind of green glow in the distance."

"Dulce said she saw that too," Sonic replied, looking up to the dark sky. "It must be the Master Emerald energy. But you said Nat had a vision too? Weird . . . Because the Master Emerald is kept on a shrine."

"That's probably what she saw, Sonic," said Jessica. "What do you think it means?"

"I'm not sure," he answered, shaking his head slowly. "I'd probably have to talk to Sal about it." Then suddenly his eyes gleamed. "You girls up for another adventure?"

"Let's go!" Jessica exclaimed excitedly, forgetting about the strange feelings that had come with her premonition.

Sonic tossed his head and twirled around gracefully, racing toward Dulcy with Jess and Kim following closely. Natalie was already up on the dragon's back, behind Sally, Rotor and Bunnie. The girls could hardly contain their excitement and concern as they clambered up onto Dulcy. What could have possibly stolen the Master Emerald? And why? Could the Chaos Emerald theft and that of the Master Emerald be connected somehow?

Sonic leapt up on Dulcy's shoulders beside Sally, and called for Nihara suddenly.

"Yes, Brother?" She asked calmly, bowing her head slightly as she approached.

"Come along with us, Nihara. We could use someone with some killer fighting experience on our side." He smiled and winked.

"Don't worry, mate, I'm comin' along." St. John suddenly called as he walked by, a haughty grin on his face.

Nihara pinned her ears at him and glared. "I see why you hate him," she growled. "It is one thing to have spirit and pride, but his vainglorious attitude disgusts me."

Sonic shook his head in annoyance. "Yeah. We could use someone to keep him in line, too."

"Count me in, Brother," Nihara nodded, brushing back her black cape and mounting the dragon.

Last to mount up was Uncle Chuck, and then Sally signaled Dulcy to take off. Swiftly she climbed through the air, high over the trees, and seconds later they were soaring through a labyrinth of starlight, the glow of green pulsing far in the distance.

It was near dawn, when the first red rays of sunrise were appearing in the sky, when Jessica suddenly awoke to the sound of Sally and Geoffrey's voices. Slowly and quietly arose, as not to awaken the sleeping Freedom Fighters around her, and listened.

St. John had moved himself closer to Sally's side while Sonic stood closer to Dulcy's neck, looking out across the sea of clouds they were now flying over. He seemed to be completely oblivious to their conversation, but that was probably not so. Then Jessica saw his ear twitch slightly when St. John spoke up, and knew he was listening intently.

"A beautiful morning, isn't it Princess?" Geoffrey was asking casually.

"Yes. Very beautiful." Sally answered.

"The sunrise makes the clouds as red as fire," Geoffrey chuckled as the sun rays began to peak over the horizon. Then he turned to her. "Reminds me of the light that comes in your eyes with every new challenge."

Jessica glared and Sonic's quills bristled.

Sally was silent for a minute, and then she laughed quietly, blushing slightly. "Well, that's very sweet . . . But we have more important things we should be worrying about now, commander. We should probably organize scouting teams when we arrive."

"I'd be more than happy to serve on your team, Princess. Besides, I hear that this Floating Island is a place of magnificent beauty. Maybe we could visit a nice field of wildflowers in one of the mountain meadows, when everything calms down?"

Sonic's ears lowered with every word, until they were flat against his head. Jessica could see his fist tighten every now and then, and she knew that he must have been fighting with himself, fighting to keep control. He didn't want to aggravate Sally again, even though he didn't understand how it was fair to let St. John back him into a corner until he had no choice but to fight back. He tossed his head suddenly and gritted his teeth, and Jessica could only stare loathingly at Geoffrey St. John as he continued.

"Or, perhaps a peaceful waterfall one evening?" He smirked and leaned closer to her.

Sally chuckled and scooted aside slightly. "Thanks for the offer . . . But we've got a lot of work to do. But I did intend on letting you join our team. Your skills could prove useful."

"Your wish is my command, Princess. Don't worry -- my crew and I shall find out what's causing this trouble and stop it."

Sonic rolled his eyes and snorted.

"You say something, mate?" St. John asked suddenly, turning toward Sonic.

". . . No," Sonic answered lowly without turning his head. "Nothing."

Sally narrowed her eyes at him.

Nihara was sharpening the blade of her sword in the back of the group, eyeing St. John coldly.

And with Sonic's silence Geoffrey's boldness swelled. He leaned closer to Sally suddenly. "Just let him set out on a reconnaisance mission -- that way he won't trouble us with his ego."

And with that Sonic couldn't take it anymore. He rounded on St. John and looked him straight in the eye, the quills on his shoulders stiffening. "Listen here, _commander_, the only one here with the ego problem is you! I know what you're up to you punk, and you're not going to get away with it!"

St. John glared back fearlessly into Sonic's piercing emerald gaze. "I don't have a clue what you're talking about, mate."

"Don't give me any of that!" Sonic had his voice raised to a yell now, and suddenly Sally moved in between them.

"Sonic, stop it! You're going to wake the others."

"You gonna let him go on and say things like that?" Sonic asked angrily.

"No, that's enough. We have enough to worry about as it is without you trying to start trouble."

Now Sonic was outraged. He towered over St. John and Sally, and when he tossed his head furiously there was fire in his eyes.

"_I _start trouble! How dare you say that _I _started it! He's the one putting the thorn in my side, goin' and saying things like that! You don't think I hear it, do you? Oh, but I heard what he said. And I can't believe you of all people would go and let him say it!"

"Well, you didn't give me a chance to even say anything before rounding on him. He's our guest, so how about showing some respect? Or is that word not in your vocabulary?"

"He's the one who needs to get off his high horse." Sonic was trembling as he spoke, fury rising within him. He was losing in this argument against St. John again, and it was infuriating him.

"Sonic, your problem is that you can't stand it when another guy talks to me. You and that jealousy issue of yours. So I don't want to hear it." She turned away from him, and then added contemptuously, "At least he offers to do nice things for me . . . "

Now the whites of Sonic's eyes gleamed, and the red hue of the strengthening sunlight intensified the flame that was growing more vicious those emerald orbs. "Oh, so it's gonna turn to _this_ again? Don't be fooled by him, Sally. He's nothing but a hot-headed idiot. You think he gives an emerald shard about your well being?"

St. John now leered up at Sonic, tail swishing angrily. "Don't listen to him, Sally . . . He's always been jealous of my methods. Only because he's a fool when it comes to strategy -- the way he jumps into everything, leaping before he looks."

Sonic pawed Dulcy's back so hard that the dragon jumped slightly, startled from her doze, and he advanced on St. John, turning his head so that he was looking at him from the corners of his eyes. His fists were tightened, and he didn't care who saw them, stiffening his arms at his sides in challenge. "Well, I see who the favorite of the group is," he scythed coldly through clenched teeth.

"Sonic!" Sally shouted in exasperation. "Oh, grow up! Do you have any idea how immature that is!"

Jessica winced and Nihara was now watching from behind, gripping her sword tightly.

"I'm afraid I must concure, mate. You haven't changed a bit since I last saw you." He saw the challenge in Sonic's eyes, and stood up defiantly.

Sonic's fury was getting out of hand. If ever Jessica saw a dangerous spark in his eyes when looking at anyone but Robotnik, she saw it now. Though she didn't exactly want to quell that fury in him either. In truth, she was hoping that he'd deal Geoffrey a good blow to the nose the first chance he got.

"You want this to end the same way as it did last time too?" Sonic snarled, advancing again, never once breaking eye contact with his enemy.

"Just try it mate!" Geoffrey retorted, standing as tall as he could, sizing up Sonic.

"Don't think I won't!" Sonic cried and suddenly lunged.

Then all at once a frenzy erupted on Dulcy's back. Nihara sprinted past Jessica and the others to, sword in hand, while Sally was yelling furiously and trying in vain to separate Sonic and Geoffrey. Kimberly and Natalie were startled awake, along with the others who were now grabbing the two antagonists and forcing them apart. Jessica cringed at the sight of Sonic as his eyes flamed and his bared teeth glittered red in the rising sun. He tore madly at Rotor, Bunnie and Uncle Chuck as they pulled him back, threatening to break from them by running if he had to. And the whole time St. John was calling it on, yelling fearlessly in Sonic's face encouragements to fight now that he was a safe distance away. Sonic attempted to plunge forward, and the suddeness at which he moved very nearly caused Geoffrey to lose his balance for a moment. It took nearly everyone in the group to restrain Sonic, and still he dragged them forward as he fought to advance and put Geoffrey in his place. He could have easily sent them all flying with just a short burst of speed and power, and Jessica cowered from his wrath, shivering close to her friends as they stared in astonishment. Then St. John tried and advance, and Sonic's rage mounted with every step he took. At last Nihara put a stop to the commotion by jumping in between Sonic and Geoffrey, her sword held at the commander's neck.

"That's enough!" She cried furiously. "You take another step, and I swear I will slice you straight through the jugular!"

Sonic trembled in the arms of the fellow Freedom Fighters, his breath coming in fuming gasps.

St. John tilted his head back away from the blade slightly, but chuckled. "Lookie here, Sonic. Got yourself a little defender?"

Nihara grabbed him by the fur on his chest and he cringed as she yanked him down with surprising force, bringing the blade up against his throat. "I said that's enough! One more word, and I will give you a gouging! And don't you even dare think I won't! You keep your mouth shut, commander, and we just might let you still ride with us."

"Easy, Nihara," Uncle Chuck said gently, coming up behind her and patting her on the shoulder. "Drop the sword . . . It is not like Freedom Fighters to resort to violence. St. John, do as she says, or we _will _make you walk."

Nihara hesitated, then finally lowered her sword a little, but never once taking her eyes off St. John's. She didn't release Geoffrey until he turned his head away from Sonic reluctantly and jerked himself free, trudging away from them, muttering under his breath.

Once he was away, Chuck then went to his nephew to calm him down. He was still in a rage, his eyes blazing and his quills all bristled.

"Sonic, what's gotten into you?" Chuck was asking. "You know he ain't worth it . . . "

"Did you hear what he said, Unc?" Sonic's voice was laden with anger and disbelief.

"Yes . . . I heard him. And I don't really blame you for getting angry. But someone could have gotten hurt, Sonny boy."

"What do you expect me to do?" Sonic asked, shaking. "I can't let him get away with that! Do you realize what he's trying to do. . .?"

Uncle Chuck fell silent, and that's when Sally stepped in again.

"I hope you're happy, Sonic." She sighed, shaking her head. "Boys. . . " And then she sat back down, looking away from him.

Bunnie leaned over to Rotor. "It wasn't really his fault. . . " she whispered.

Rotor shook his head. "No. . . He's right. St. John is at it again . . . And I'm afraid that-that this time he's winning . . . "

Jessica was stunned. Never had she seen such a dispute between Sonic, Geoffrey and Sally. She had witnessed him fight for the ones he loved, fought with all the strength and ferocity of a storm, and she had seen him as Super Sonic with all seven Chaos Emeralds harnessed, and how his wrath could create universal destruction. But _never _had she seen anything quite like this. For some reason it was different. And she could see that Sonic was confused now -- it shone clearly in his beautiful eyes. And she had learned a lot from his eyes. He was also having trouble getting control of his fury. He closed his eyes and swayed his head from side to side, still shaking and breathing hard.

Suddenly, without even thinking at all, she found herself walking toward him.

"Jess," Kimberly called after her. "You'd better let him calm down first."

But Jessica was at his side in a matter of seconds, speaking softly to him.

"It's OK, Sonic," she whispered in his ear. "I heard him too. And I agree with you. It's not right."

"The nerve!" Sonic cried in disgust, and he began shaking violently again, working himself into a sweat. "Can you believe him? . . . And Sal?" There was almost a twinge of pain and confusion in his eyes as he said this. Jess couldn't mistake it, for he looked right at her. Suddenly a fury filled her too. Nothing hurt Sonic. . . Not while she had anything to do with it.

Gently she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Easy," she said softly. "It's not your fault . . . I can't believe his nerve either. And I don't blame you for going after him. Someone needs to knock some sense into him. I think the others feel the same way. But he's not worth getting all worked up over, fella. Easy, Blue, easy . . ."

Little by little Sonic's anger began to subside as he continued to listen to Jessica, his ears turned toward her voice. After a while, and much to the other's amazement, his breathing was relaxed again and he stopped trembling. But it wasn't until near nine o' clock, when the sun had fully risen, that the fire began to leave his eyes. Jessica stayed right there beside him for nearly four hours, and her friends could only watch. After all, they were witnessing one thing they thought would never happen: tension between Sonic and Sally. . . After all, the two had been close friends for their whole lives. They had grown up together. And while it was true there was always trouble whenever St. John was around, it seemed that the two were inseperable.

Sonic was utterly confused now that his anger had died down a little. He stood beside Jess with his back turned on the group again, head lowered slightly and eyes fixed on the clouds blowing by below them. He had trusted Sally with all his heart. . . Yet, here she was, for the first time since he had met her, turning her back on him. And all out of the blue. Well, at first, there was a overwhelming sense of loneliness that took over him, a sense of being abandoned. It had been this that had fueled his anger more than anything. And at first he didn't want to talk to anyone, to see anyone. But suddenly, for some reason unknown to him, he was glad Jessica was at his side. . . And that _her_ hand, out of all of theirs, was on his shoulder. . . And he didn't feel so lonely with her there. Maybe it was because he knew Jessica had strong feelings for him, and that he could trust her. Maybe he was just glad someone agreed with him about Geoffrey St. John. But the fact was, he was glad she was there beside him, and he finally allowed himself to relax.

"What was it all about?" Kimberly asked, turning to Nihara.

"The commander was running his mouth again," she replied, sliding her sword back into its sheath. "And he was aiming all along to provoke Sonic too. . . Any fool could see that."

"What'd he say?" Natalie inquired.

Nihara's eyes blazed as she remembered St. John's words. "He was trying to wedge himself in between Sonic and Princess Sally if you know what I mean. . . That's all I can say."

"Oooh. . ." Kimberly murmured. "That's--that's deep. . . "

"You shoulda done it, Nihara. You should have sliced him right then and there." said Natalie.

"Oh, I agree," Nihara snarled. "and I would have!"

Kimberly turned and gazed back toward Sonic. Jessica was still standing beside him, and it seemed as if she hadn't moved an inch since she had walked over to him.

"She's been there all day. . . It's nearly one o' clock. . ."

"You know her," Natalie smiled. "She'd spend the rest of her life just standing beside him, and she wouldn't even notice."

Kimberly chuckled quietly. "Yes, . . . No doubt she would."

Suddenly Dulcy tossed her head. "Look! There it is! Straight ahead!"

In one motion all the Freedom Fighters on board suddenly flocked onto Dulcy's shoulders to see, Natalie and Kimberly ahead of them all. At first all they could see were the thin wisps of clouds below. . . But then, as the sun penetrated the misty skies, and the clouds parted, there appeared suddenly a towering chain of mountains that reared higher than any that the girls had ever seen. They soared thousands of feet until it seemed that they'd pierce the sun--and on their peaks snow glistened like diamond dust. As Dulcy gradually flew lower, a land beyond imagination opened up in front of them. Below the mountains lay vast jungles, where the vegetation was as green and brilliant as an emerald, and great waterfalls thundered down the forbidden cliffs that belonged to nothing but the wild. Here and there they could see ancient ruins hidden within lost chasms or scattered about in some forgotten terrace, quilted in moss and vines. Some where shattered stone columns and plinths that had once held up a great temple, others were still intact, great structures made of nothing but pure marble that stood proudly above what had been their kingdoms long ago. There were sparkling fields of snow, and just adjacent to them blazing valleys of magma. There were golden deserts that spread farther than the eye could see, and just too many treasures than the eye could ever behold at once. It was a land like no other, a land that was unreal, yet right there in front of their eyes. _The Floating Island._

"It's. . . More beautiful than I ever imagined. . . " Natalie gasped.

"It is remarkable," Kimberly nodded, spellbound by the mystic beauty that seemed to surround the place.

"Natalie, you were right," Jessica smiled. "It _is _the most beautiful place on Mobius."

"Coming in for a landing!" Dulcy called, and swooped down toward the island that now lay half-submerged in the blue ocean below.

"Not so fast now, Dulcy," Uncle Chuck called. "You're bound to crash!"

"Don't worry! I got it!" she assured them, but as soon as they neared the slopes of the mountains, she got caught in a powerful gale, and suddenly flailed sideways, nearly spiraling over.

"Everyone hang on!" Sonic called, holding onto the dragon's neck. "It's gonna be a wild ride!"

Dulcy fought to regain her balance and control as the ground continued to rush up at them. But her small wings weren't strong enough to battle the wind, and she soon tired herself out. The gale dragged her downward, and she grazed the edge of a cliff as she descended, causing her to capsize. There was a brief panic as the Freedom Fighters on her back clung desperately to whatever they could find to avoid falling to their doom, and then the dragon righted herself again.

"OK, I think I got it now," she panted.

"Dulce, watch it!" Sonic yelled suddenly, for they were flying straight toward a stone spire.

Dulcy pulled up and backwinged, but her momentum was too great and the crashed right into it. Down they went, nothing but a steep mountain slope rolling for hundreds of feet below them. Dulcy caught the ground with her feet, but once again lost her balance and slipped downward.

"Brakes, Dulcy! Put on the brakes!" Sonic shouted.

Clenching her teeth, Dulcy dug her claws into the rock beneath her, and at last she began to slow down.

"Don't worry -- I got it under control now--WUH!" Just then her hindleg caught on a boulder and she toppled right over with a heavy thud. But, fortunately, the trip had stopped her wild descent down the mountainside.

On her back everyone was frozen with their eyes clamped shut, still clinging on for dear life. Sonic was the first to recover, shaking his head and jumping off before anything else happened.

"Dulce. . ." he panted, patting her shoulder. "We _gotta _do something about this."

"Do something about wha, Ma?" she muttered dazedly.

"Everyone OK?" Sonic asked, turning to the others.

Nihara released the back of Dulcy's neck that she had plastered herself too, and looked over her shoulder to where the commander and his troops were sitting. Then she gave a disappointed sigh. "Blast. . . He didn't fall. . . "


	4. Chapter 4 Evil Arises Again

**.:Chapter 4:.**

**Evil Arises Again**

Geoffrey hopped off Dulcy's back and looked far to the east. "The village is located down there -- just beyond those hills."

"How's it look?" asked Sally.

"Well, it's flooded all right, mate. . . Normally you could see a beach just south of those hills. . . And see that lookout tower over there? The water's all the way up to the top almost. That tower used to be at least two miles off from the village."

"You're sure they got to safety in time?" Rotor inquired.

"Yes. They said so in the reports. This isn't the first time this has happened." Sally replied. "Well, now to check out the island."

"First we have to get off this mountain," muttered Sonic, standing upon a ledge just overhead. Nothing but sheer cliffs surrounded them on all sides, dropping thousands of feet down into a treacherous ravine lined with sharp, jagged rocks. Sonic shook his head as he looked down the slope they had slid down. "It's a good thing you stopped when you did, Dulce. Another few feet, and we'd have gone straight down _that._" He nodded to the sudden drop just in front of the dragon that ended only at the torrents of an enormous river.

"Can ya fly, Dulcy?" Uncle Chuck asked.

"Sure I can fly, Ma. . . "

"Dulce, snap out of it." said Sonic.

"I see pretty little stars . . . " she murmured.

"Great. We're stuck on a mountain with an idiot and an airsick dragon." Sonic shook his head again and began to pace.

"What'll we do about Dulcy?" Kimberly asked.

Suddenly Nihara walked by. "Well, there's always one remedy for a dazed dragon." She sauntered up behind Dulcy and stomped down hard on her tail.

"OW!" Dulcy yelled and jumped up so quick that everyone left on her back fell right off. "I'm up, I'm up!" She looked around, startled.

"Leave it to Nihara." Chuck laughed.

"Ow . . ." muttered Jessica, sprawled out across the rocks.

"You girls OK?" Sonic asked, helping them up one by one.

"Yeah. So where to now? We gonna go to the shrine? Are we? Are we?" Natalie looked around eagerly.

"Soon as we get our berrings," Sonic replied. "You OK now Dulce?"

"I see purple spots. . . "

"Oy. . . " Sonic sighed.

"No, really, I see something purple -- over there."

Sonic and the others turned to see the dragon pointing directly ahead. There, in the distance, was a peculiar violet object flying straight towards them. And it was coming in fast.

"What on Mobius--?" murmured Uncle Chuck.

"It looks like a bird," said Natalie. "A really . . . _big _bird. . . "

It was true -- as the object drew closer, it grew bigger and bigger. Soon great wings were visible, and four powerful legs propelling it through the air. Sonic leapt up onto a nearby boulder and squinted to get a closer look.

"Sonic, what is it?" asked Jessica.

He narrowed his eyes. "It's not a bird . . . It's a griffin . . ."

"A griffin?" Rotor asked, puzzled. "They're really rare on Mobius . . ."

"The Floating Island _does _have everything." said Nat.

"Uh . . . Griffins -- they are friendly, right?" Kimberly asked nervously as the beast drew ever closer to them.

"Let's hope so." was all Sonic said before the griffin suddenly increased his speed and charged at them with a piercing screech. It came at them with surprising swiftness, and Sonic had to jump sharply to the side to avoid it as it swooped down at them, its mighty wings spreading nearly fourty feet over their heads. Startled the other Freedom Fighters ducked down beneath the great violet feathers as the griffin perched on the boulder Sonic had been standing on, massive ebony-black talons gouging deep into the stone.

It was a monster of a griffin -- nearly eleven feet at the shoulder. It glared down at all of them with glowing red eyes, and snapped its wicked hooked beak with a sinister hiss. Folding its wings at its sides, it shook its heavy black mane and flicked his long, tufted tail like a whip. He was a true griffin -- with the head and forequarters of an eagle, and the hindlegs and tail of a lion. The only thing he wasn't was gentle-looking.

"So you've come," he chuckled suddenly, his voice deep and cruel. "You've arrived quicker than Master Naugus expected."

"Naugus!" Sonic broke in suddenly. The griffin turned his head to see him striding forward, and the long curved ears lowered against the black mane which ruffled threateningly. Sonic looked him straight in the eyes without a twinge of fear. "Ixis Naugus? The sorcerer?"

"That is correct, Freedom Fighter -- my most malevolent master." He bowed his head then glowered in Sonic's direction again. "Surprised, are you not?"

"Naugus is dead," Sonic retorted, mirroring the beast's glare. "Who are you? And what do you want?"

The griffin stood tall, and lifted his enormous wings to the sky. "Fear this name, mortal fools, for you shall flee from it in the future! I am Kaligarr -- Naugus's most cunning accomplice." Here he grinned haughtily, then his eyes flashed. "Surrender that Chaos Emerald, or I fear the consequences will be dreadful."

"What Chaos Emerald?" Sonic asked.

Kaligarr lowered his head and pointed with his massive wing. "There!" The great primary feathers lead everyone's gaze to a flicker of light coming from beneath the stones on the slope, directly behind Kimberly. "Surrender it! I doubt any of you have the strength and the wit to take on a griffin who wields the powers I do."

Kimberly looked to the others nervously, and suddenly Sonic jumped in front of her protectively. "Even if it isn't ours, you can't have it! I don't know where you're coming from saying Naugus is back, but you have no business with the Chaos Emeralds. You must have been the one who stole the Master Emerald and the other Chaos Emerald as well."

Kaligarr cackled suddenly. "I fear you are mistaken there, Hedgehog. I may be great, but a beast of my size could never get away with a task such as that. Allow me to introduce you to my partner in crime." He smirked coldly, and then, turning back, he gave a loud, clear screech.

Suddenly a black figure leapt into view, and dashed forward at a speed only Sonic could ever match. Skidding up alongside Kaligarr, he glared at the Freedom Fighters with deep crimson eyes. Sonic's ears came up and the three girls gasped in surprise, for they recognized this creature. He was a hedgehog as well, but as black as night, with streaks of scarlet red running along his quills, arms and legs as well as at the top of his dark eyes. He was distinguished by a path of white fur on his chest, and the particularly cold look in his gaze.

"_Shadow._" Jessica gasped.

"You know him?" Nihara asked.

"Only from Earth . . . B-but what's he doing here?" Jess replied.

"Your guess is as good as mine." answered Natalie.

Kimberly didn't say anything, for as she looked into Shadow's eyes, a strange sense suddenly filled her heart . . . She found she couldn't look away from him, and then that mysterious voice returned . . .

"_We have come for you as well . . . Yes, it is I. . . The one you've seen in those dreams. . . Follow us. . . We will save you. . . _"

Kim shuddered, for now the voice was stronger than before -- almost as if whoever was speaking it was whispering right in her ear.

Suddenly Kaligarr tossed his head. "So, are you prepared to give us that emerald?"

Then St. John suddenly stepped forward. "Don't even try it, mate! You're outnumbered!"

"Oh?" clacked the griffin. "You think your numbers frighten me?"

"I do, mate!"

"And just what would one so bold as yourself do to faze me?"

St. John suddenly raised the miniature cross-bow on his left wrist to his eye. Shadow and Kaligarr merely stood there, waiting, never once flinching. Suddenly Geoffrey fired an arrow right at Kaligarr's shoulder. . . But it was no use. Kaligarr was too quick for him. The griffin whipped his head around, and with one fierce bite, snapped the arrow in two.

"Child's play," he hissed, then turned back to Kimberly. "You there!"

Kim looked up as Kaligarr's sharp voice broke the trance. Then suddenly something extraordinary happened. . .

Kaligarr lowered his head and locked his eyes completely on hers, ignoring the rest of the world around him. "Give me the Chaos Emerald. . . " He spoke slowly, clearly -- then his eyes suddenly flashed bright red.

At once Kimberly's eyes flashed too, and then became completely blank. The others stared in astonishment and fear. Then, all of a sudden, Kimberly reached down and picked up a yellow Chaos Emerald.

"Kim, what are ya doing?" Natalie asked.

But Kimberly just started walking toward Kaligarr. Something was wrong -- she suddenly had no control over her thoughts or actions. And she was held by Kaligarr's piercing eyes.

"What's wrong with her?" Jessica yelled as she and Natalie grabbed Kim to stop her.

Sonic narrowed his eyes and clenched his teeth. "She's _hypnotized!_"

Then he abruptly whirled around and without warning rammed Kaligarr hard in the chest. The griffin staggered backwards from the force of the hit and gave a furious screech. His eye contact had been broken. . .

Kimberly stopped dead in her tracks and blinked, her eyes returning to normal. ". . .Oh my gosh. . . He nearly made me give him the emerald. . . "

Suddenly there came a angry snarl from behind as Kaligarr regained his balance. "You fool!" he cried, glaring fiercely at Sonic. "You dare challenge us!"

Nihara drew her swords. "Stay back! Both of you!"

"Shadow!" Kaligarr roared. "Get that Emerald!"

Sonic pawed the ground, quills bristled. "Just try it, pal! You won't beat me to it!"

Shadow's eyes gleamed. "Is that so? See how you like this! Chaos Control!" Suddenly he disappeared.

Uncle Chuck gasped. "It couldn't be. . . "

Sonic bared his teeth. He was already on edge after having nearly gotten into a fight with St. John -- now with another Chaos Emerald and his friends at stake, he was more than ready to take action. His legs stiffened and his ears came up. All senses came into focus, ready and waiting. . . Then, all of a sudden, Shadow reappeared out of thin air, right between Sonic and Kimberly!

"Kim! Look out!" Jessica cried.

But it was too late. Shadow had swiped the emerald from the girl's hands. Furiously Sonic whirled around and charged, but again Shadow disappeared and Sonic pulled up hard to avoid losing his balance. Seconds later his enemy reappeared higher on the slope, a gloating smirk on his face.

"Still wish to challenge me?"

Sonic responded with a snort and bolted for him again, this time summoning his swiftest speed. Shadow waited till he could nearly feel Sonic's breath on his skin before vanishing once more. Now Sonic's anger was mounting. There was no way possible this hedgehog could be faster than he! Snarling he whipped around and landed on the slope, his eyes scanning the surrounding land for his opponent. Then, suddenly, there came a flash of motion from behind, and the next thing he knew he was on the ground, Shadow standing tall above him.

"What's the matter?" Shadow asked. "Can't you keep up?"

"You can't be faster than me!" Sonic growled angrily, leaping to his feet again.

"He's not faster," Jessica suddenly cried. "But he can warp time and space with the emerald!"

Everyone stared at her now, including Shadow.

"She's right," Uncle Chuck then spoke up. "It's Chaos Control!"

"It's no matter," Shadow retorted. "I still possess superior speed. Allow me to demonstrate!" In a blur of black he wheeled around and dashed up the mountain faster than anyone could blink. And in a flash Sonic was after him, refusing to be outrun by this strange hedgehog. Flames shot up from beneath his feet, and fire blazed in his eyes. The Freedom Fighters all locked their eyes on the two hedgehogs now, hardly believing what they were seeing. Sonic had easily matched Shadow's pace, and now the two were running neck and neck up the mountainside. They were astounded -- never had they seen a single creature that could even come close to keeping up with Sonic, let alone matching his speed!

Sonic's eyes ignited into firestorms when he saw Shadow at his side. No -- he wouldn't have it! No one could outrace him! Lowering his head, he abruptly shot forward, tearing the earth up beneath his whirling feet, his arms thrown out behind him for balance as he leaned nearly parallel to the ground. But Shadow would not be thrown so easily. . . Gathering himself, he surged after Sonic, coming up alongside him again. Sonic clenched his teeth! With breakneck speed he suddenly spun around and hurled himself in the opposite direction, and the Freedom Fighters gasped at the speed at which he moved. But Shadow immitated his trick and was on his tail in no time flat. Sonic tossed his head in growing rage! He would not let this black stranger beat him -- no one would ever beat him at the one thing he did best. Throwing his head up to the skies, rallying on the strength in his legs, he became a furious blue blur as he burst forward! It looked as if he had been unleashed by a giant spring! The world was sent reeling beneath his feet, and a trail a fire was all anyone could make out before he disappeared! For a moment there was a breath of relief among the watching crowd. Surely Sonic had outrun Shadow here, for he was moving at his utmost speed now -- seven hundred miles per hour!

Then, Sonic noticed a black motion from his left, and couldn't believe his eyes. Impossible! Shadow was running alongside him, not neck and neck, but still terribly close! And then, without warning, the black hedgehog suddenly lunged at Sonic. Sonic was ready for him however, and used all his furious momentum to pitch himself forward and slam into Shadow. The force was bone-shattering, and both of them were knocked backwards from the stunning affect. Then, their eyes suddenly flashed skyward. The emerald had been knocked loose, and was now plummeting down to the earth. Both Sonic and Shadow dashed forward desperately to seize it before the other, rock and gravel flying up from beneath their heels. Then Kaligarr abruptly spread his wings and lifted off. Nihara snarled and tried to leap up and send her sword blade into his chest as he flew overhead, but he had gained too much altitude for her. With one swift motion he swooped down and captured the emerald in his beak. Sonic turned sideways and skidded so hard that his shoes screeched across the stones, trying to avoid a collision with the great griffin. Shadow however grabbed onto Kaligarr's hindleg and vaulted up into safety on his back. Seconds later they were high above Sonic and the others, smirking down on them triumphantly.

"Farewell, Freedom Fighters!" Kaligarr hissed. "You'll confront Naugus soon!" Then, in a flash, they were gone.


	5. Chapter 5 Waiting for a Star to Fall

**.:Chapter 5:.**

**Waiting for a Star to Fall**

_I hear your name whispered on the wind_

_It's a sound that makes me cry_

_I hear a song blow again and again_

_Through my mind and I don't know why_

_I wish I didn't feel so strong about you_

_Like happiness and love revolve around you_

_Trying to catch your heart_

_Is like trying to catch a star_

_So many people love you baby_

_That must be what you are_

_Waiting for a star to fall_

_And carry your heart into my arms_

_That's where you belong_

_In my arms baby yeah_

_I've learned to feel what I cannot see_

_But with you I lose that vision_

_I don't know how to dream your dream_

_So I'm all caught up in superstition_

_I want to reach out and pull you to me_

_Who says I should let a wild one go free_

_Trying to catch your heart_

_Is like trying to catch a star_

_But I can't love you this much baby_

_And love you from this far_

_Waiting... however long_

_I don't like waiting... I'll wait for you_

_It's so hard waiting... Don't be too long_

_Seems like waiting... makes me love you even more_

-_Waiting for a Star to Fall, _Boy Meets Girl

Over the vast mountains of the Floating Island flew the great griffin. The beast was now several miles away from where he had confronted the Freedom Fighters, deep into the towering peaks that formed the very heart of the island. The terrain seemed to grow more and more unforgiving the farther he went -- mountains ended and sudden, sheer drops into razor-edged ravines below; monstrous rivers thundered down the craggy cliffs and clawed their way through treacherous canyons. The vegetation soon grew sparse, and the air colder. Eventually Kaligarr was soaring over snow-capped peaks and glittering glaciers. Only here did the Floating Island seem less inviting, for even though the landscape held its own dismal, dangerous beauty, it was considered the most rugged, uncrossable country on Mobius.

Kaligarr ruffled his mane and grinned. To him, this was _home._

Low, leaden clouds were beginning to hang over the peaks. The griffin and his passenger were descending into a long forgotten, long untouched realm. Frigid air began to blow, and eerie silver mists furled around the ancient stones that surrounded him. Then, as the winds began to pick up and the storm gained strength, Kaligarr faltered slightly. His energy was draining . . . and quick. Lowering his head to make headway, he squinted through the thickening mists and stroked hard with his wings to battle the gales. For a while he was having trouble navigating through the blizzard, when suddenly the silhouette of a mammoth mountain loomed high over him. Instantly the griffin swooped, his eyes half-closed wearily.

He alighted on a great slab of granite that jutted out over a sea of clouds and mist below. On either side of the ledge were two sharp formations or rock that pointed up like small towers, and just beyond them, lay the mouth of a great cave. Kaligarr's sides were heaving now, and he slowly folded his wings at his sides again, shaking his head tiredly.

"Master . . . " he panted. "I've got it . . . T-the Chaos Emerald . . . "

Suddenly, from within the darkness of the cave, came a malevolent, wheezing voice. "They were there . . . My old friends, the Freedom Fighters. And _him._"

"Yes Master . . . " Kaligarr huffed. "_He _was there . . . But it was just as your predicted . . . He's no match for the Ultimate Life Form."

There came a light chuckle. "He thinks he's gotten away with so much . . . He thinks I'm long gone. . . Gone forever. Oh, how wrong he is . . . And now that I'm back, I'm gonna purge this planet from him and those feted Freedom Fighters once and for all."

Shadow dismounted from Kaligarr, and the griffin dropped down onto his hindquarters in exhaustion.

"You are weak . . ." said the voice.

"Yes, Master. It is difficult for me to keep up my superior hypnosis so long. . . But I shall heal quickly. Shadow." He suddenly turned to the hedgehog and jerked his beak toward the direction of the cave.

Shadow stepped forward obediantly and left the yellow Chaos Emerald just outside the cave entrance, bowing his head and backing away slowly. Then, within the darkness of the cave, two blazing blood red eyes appeared. The Chaos Emerald lifted into the air, and then drifted slowly to those sinister eyes, where it soon disappeared.

"We have four emeralds now. . . " the voice hissed. "Once we have them all, I will be able to return in my full form -- and then, we shall transform Mobius into a nightmare world!"

"That reminds me, Master," Kaligarr said suddenly. "The spell . . . It's working already. The three humans have felt it -- I can sense it within them. Especially the one they call Kimberly. She's closer to us than the other two."

"When my plans are complete, Kaligarr, we'll have all three of them in the palm of my hand. For it is they who shall unleash the _real _power." He paused for a second, then the red eyes flicked back toward the griffin. "Take a rest now, Kaligarr. We won't need Shadow until we locate another emerald -- or until we run into the Hedgehog again." Kaligarr could almost see his master smirk through the darkness.

"Yes, Master Naugus." He looked toward a listless Shadow, and then his eyes flashed. Suddenly a fog in the black hedgehog's eyes cleared up, and he shook his head vigorously to get his memory back.

". . . Where am I now?" he asked, looking around in confusion.

"Back at Naugus's lair," Kaligarr replied. "We succeeded in getting another Chaos Emerald -- remember?

Shadow closed his eyes for a moment, trying to remember. Ever since he bad been reawakened by the sorcerer, his memory had been blacking out every now and then. Finally his crimson eyes opened again. "I remember. . . One. . . The girl . . ."

"Ah, yes, the ones we're seeking." Kaligarr grinned darkly.

"And him!" Shadow exclaimed suddenly. "The-the blue hedgehog. . . "

"Yes . . ." Kaligarr scythed, his feathers ruffling slightly.

"H-he looked. . . Almost just like me . . . And we raced . . . " Then his eyes flared. "Never had anyone come so close to matching my speed!"

"It is not only his speed we must worry about, Shadow," said the griffin. "He is our greatest enemy -- for he seems to always find a way to stop the evil. But not this time. If we get the three remaining Chaos Emeralds, and Naugus is able to enslave those three humans, we shall truly be invincible!"

Shadow stared out across the great void below them. "Kaligarr . . . My mind keeps blacking out . . . That's why it's been so hard for me to remember. That I fear is the only thing that may get in my way when I'm to confront these creatures known as Freedom Fighters."

Something knowing glittered in Kaligarr's eyes. "You've been in suspended animation for a long time, my friend. So it is no surprise if your mind is having trouble focusing."

Shadow only nodded quietly. "I suppose you're right . . . But I won't fail you or Naugus. If his spell works, and if his magic can truly do anything, then I can see her again . . . _Maria._" His gaze suddenly clouded again -- this time with sadness.

Kaligarr pretended to show pity for the one called they Ultimate Life Form. But in truth he felt nothing for Shadow. He was a mere puppet to him -- something he could only toy with . . . Unbeknownst to the hedgehog.

"Don't worry, Shadow," he said, stepping up alongside him and looking out over the sea of clouds below. "When Naugus accomplishes his plans, even the dead can be revived."

"So, you let them get away -- _the fastest thing alive, huh? _Seems to me your ego stands in the way of everyone nowadays, mate!" St. John glared resentfully as Sonic made his way back toward the group.

Sonic's ears went flat, and Nihara drew her sword again.

"Enough of your ragging, St. John," she snarled. "I didn't see you fighting them. One try was all you gave it, and judging from it, you couldn't shoot the broad side of a barn!"

The commander glowered at her, and her black eyes pierced right back into his. "You hedgehogs are all alike, you know that?" was all he said before he turned away, muttering to himself.

"At least we show courage in the face of danger!" Nihara yelled after him. "Coward . . ."

"All right, that's enough fighting," Chuck broke in. "We're no better than Robotnik if we constantly fight and divide ourselves."

Suddenly Bunnie looked up. "Could it be true, Chuck? Could Naugus really be back?"

The elder Freedom Fighter shook his head. "Who knows? Naugus is a sorcerer -- one of incredible powers. It could very well be possible that he's returned . . ."

"But he was killed," Jessica said. "Right in front of our eyes."

"It wouldn't matter if he was 'killed'," Uncle Chuck replied, turning to her. "He's a wizard -- he can do almost _anything. _He was supposably killed several times. But he always found a way to come back."

The girl sighed and turned back to Kimberly. "You OK?"

Kim nodded slowly. "That was so strange, though . . . I could hear a voice . . . Even before h-he hypnotized me . . ."

"Boy, we've all been doing really well lately," said Natalie. "Seeing visions, hearing voices. . . What'd it say, Kim?"

Kimberly blinked. "Something like . . . 'We have come for you . . . Follow us."

The other two stared.

"_We?_" Nat asked. "Who's _we?_"

Kimberly shrugged. "I have no idea . . . I'm as confused as you guys are."

The group was silent for a long while before Rotor looked around and asked, "Well . . . Now what do we do? Should we try and track down Kaligarr and Shadow?"

"We must!" Uncle Chuck replied, and for a second his eyes gleamed. "Not only because they're what's threatening these Chaos Emeralds -- but because of Shadow!"

"Shadow?" Rotor queried, tilting his head.

"Didn't you notice that he has the power of Chaos Control, just like Jessica said? That's the power that could open the link back to Earth! And _he _is the only one in the world who can master it! I must research how he uses the power further!"

"Well, let's get moving then," said Sally suddenly. "We still have to head toward the Master Emerald shrine. Perhaps we can convince the Guardian to join forces with us."

"All aboard!" Dulcy smiled and spread her wings so the Freedom Fighters could climb on board.

Then, suddenly, and without any warning at all, Sonic snorted and bolted down the mountainside, disappearing far below into the mountains in a matter of seconds.

The Freedom Fighters stared, puzzled.

"Sonic?" Jessica asked, startled.

"Where's he running off too?" Bunnie inquired.

Sally sighed and shook her head. "Deserting us. . . In a time like this. Imagine that."

"Low-life . . ." Geoffrey muttered before mounting the dragon. "Well, it's no use looking for him. We'll never find him anyway."

Jessica glared deadly at St. John. Like Sonic and many others in the group, she was growing tired of the commander's arrogance.

"Don't worry," Sally murmured as she climbed up onto Dulcy's shoulders too. "He'll be back. Eventually. Let's go everyone."

Reluctantly the others moved toward Dulcy, their spirits wearing thin from all the trouble they had been experiencing as of late. Jessica didn't want to leave. . . She wanted to find Sonic, for it was never a good sign when he ran off like this. But unfortunately and sadly, Geoffrey was right about one thing. She'd never be able to find him if he constantly kept moving at his speed. . . With a troubled sigh, she finally followed the others and soon they were off, flying north, toward the shrine of the Master Emerald.

The group settled in a great, green glade somewhere just outside of the mountains. It was late at night now. The sky had faded into a deep, blackish-blue, and was now studded with thousands of stars. They had flown nearly eighty miles, and had seen no sign of Sonic ever since he had left them. This troubled a great many of them deeply.

The girls were sitting just outside of the camp, looking out across a great plain that stretched as far to the east as they eye could see.

Jessica sighed. "Who knows where he is. . . It's driving me insane, not having him here."

"I would have thought he'd be back by now," said Kimberly. "Do you think he may have went to find Kaligarr and Shadow on his own?"

"I doubt it," Jess answered. "But I don't know . . . It's this not-knowing that's driving me crazy . . ."

"It's this sitting around that's driving _me _crazy," said Natalie. "We need to go to the shrine already!" She fidgeted impatiently.

Jess and Kim smiled. "We'll get there, soon enough. Don't worry. Then you can see _you-know-who._" Kimberly winked and Nat grinned widely.

Suddenly Uncle Chuck came up behind them. "Any sign of him yet?" he asked, concern evident in his voice.

Jessica gave a heavy sigh. "Not yet . . ."

"I'm worried about the boy . . . I wouldn't go about yelling this in the camp, but I'm with you three. I do not agree with how Sally and St. John have been treating him . . . This happens every time it seems. But now it's worse than ever." He looked down at the ground worriedly.

"Sally won't just . . . Turn her back on Sonic . . . _will she?_" Jessica asked, looking up at him.

Chuck was silent for a long while. Then he said in a voice no higher than a whisper, "I can't be too sure about that sadly. I trusted Sally too . . . After all, for such a long time she and Sonic have been inseparable. I can't – I can't understand why she is so swayed whenever St. John comes around. It doesn't make any sense."

Jessica laid her head on her knees, a fierce fire suddenly glowing in her eyes. Sally would never _dare _do such a thing to Sonic . . .

"We've just got so much to worry about now," Chuck continued. "At first there was the issue of getting you three home."

Jessica and Natalie tensed up.

"Then, St. John comes out of nowhere and suddenly he and Sally are best buds. Then, there's the problem with the Master Emerald missing and that Kaligarr character saying that Naugus has come back . . ."

Then suddenly Kimberly spoke up. "Shadow . . . When I looked at him, I felt so strange . . ."

Uncle Chuck blinked. "What do you mean, Kim?"

She shook her head. "I don't know . . . There was just something so weird about him . . . I can't explain it. It's almost like I knew him . . . Or he knew _me._"

Her friends and Chuck looked at each other in bewilderment.

"Lots of weird things have been happening lately . . ." Jessica said thoughtfully. "And it all began with that star."

"Star?" Uncle Chuck asked.

"Before I had that strange vision, I saw a blue star in the sky. And this may sound farfetched but it always appears right before we have another adventure."

"Hmm," said Chuck. "So it's like an omen. How interesting. So Jess, you've seen that and the vision. Nat has seen a vision too. Kim, what all have you experienced?"

Kimberly was paused a bit before answering, and for a second, Jessica and Natalie fancied they had seen something secretive in her eyes . . . "Nothing really. Except for Shadow. . . And the voice I heard before Kaligarr hypnotized me."

Uncle Chuck scratched his chin curiously. "Very strange. I'm afraid I can't explain them, or anything else that's going on for that matter. But I do know one thing, and that's that things _always _get strange whenever Naugus comes around. I don't want to believe that fiend may be back, but under the circumstances it's hard not to."

The three girls nodded, and then there was a long silence. A quiet breeze drifted across the great plain before them and crickets chirped in the distance. Despite the heavy hearts in the Freedom Fighter camp, it was otherwise a very peaceful night.

Then Uncle Chuck sighed. "Well, I would like to know where that nephew of mine is, but I would never be able to find him. We'll just have to wait till he comes back on his own. It's pretty late, girls, maybe you should be getting to bed."

"OK," said Natalie and Kim, and the three of them got up to follow Chuck back into camp.

Then Jessica suddenly stopped and looked back out across the plain. She couldn't go – that same, old loneliness she felt whenever Sonic was away was tugging at her heart, and it would only get worse if she tried to ignore it. Abruptly, and without even thinking at all, she suddenly turned around and struck out across the grassland.

It was happening again. Jessica had never been to the Floating Island in her life, and had no idea where she was going, but somehow, someway, she knew it was the right way to Sonic. It had happened so many times before, and just how it worked was beyond her understanding or anyone else's. But she kept going in a straight line all the way across the plain, and eventually the land began to slope into the trough of an enormous valley.

It was here that Jessica paused only once on her journey. Standing atop the grassy ridge, she suddenly found herself overlooking the biggest valley she had ever seen in her life. For hundreds upon hundreds of miles it stretched from north to south in between two great mountain chains. Far, far below a waterfall thundered into a distant lake and a great forest stretched across the center of the valley floor below. The moonlight bathed the serene land in a mesmerizing bluish-green color, and for a second, the girl almost felt as though she recognized this beautiful place. But soon the thought of Sonic returned to her mind, and she quickly shook off the feeling and continued on.

It was uncanny, really, how a human girl could pinpoint one of the hardest things on Mobius to ever locate. Whenever Sonic was out, he was literally constantly moving, and usually at a rate of four hundred miles per hour. Sometimes he covered thousands of miles in one night alone, and he could still go ever further then. And since the Floating Island was at sea level, he may have not even been in this specific part of Mobius.

But still Jessica walked on, some kind of mysterious unconscious force leading her right to the one she loved. And amazingly, it didn't even take long to find him.

About half an hour since she had started her search, she had reached the valley floor and was venturing into the forest, when she suddenly caught a flicker of blue out of the corner of her eye. Immediately she stopped dead in her tracks and turned.

There he was, standing with his back against a tree just on the edge of the glittering lake, where the waterfall fell from the mountains just about a mile off. And oh, was he a beautiful sight.

The moonlight was bringing out all that dazzling luster of his magnificent color, so that he gleamed like a sapphire in the night. The wind was blowing gently through his long, elegant quills, and just seeing him again after only what had been a few hours made Jessica feel as if she hadn't seen him in ages.

"Sonic!" she called and ran over to him, smiling.

At the sound of her voice Sonic turned and looked up, surprised. "Jess! Hey . . . How did you find me?"

"Hey," she said as she came up beside him. "To be honest with you I don't even know. You OK, buddy?"

Sonic gave a short laugh. "I've been better." He reached down and picked up a rock from the shore, and with one effortless toss sent it skipping across the surface of the water. Jessica gazed at him for a moment, and could tell that he was upset just by looking at his eyes. She had learned so much from his eyes.

"I'm so sorry about what happened earlier today, Blue," she said quietly. "It wasn't right. I don't like St. John at all."

"Heh, you too, huh?" Sonic asked, and he clenched his teeth just at the thought of his enemy. Then suddenly he kicked his foot hard across the ground, sending a rather large rock flying way out into the center of the lake, and the suddenness of it made Jessica jump. "That _idiot!_" Sonic seethed. "Every time! He—the _gall!_"

Jessica winced at the fury in his voice. Then suddenly he turned to her, his eyes riddled with pain.

"He wants to take her away from me! He has for the longest time – ever since I knew him! And the bad thing is that it works!" Sonic trembled, his breathing coming hard now. Jessica looked deep into his suffering eyes and felt tears burning in her own. "How can it work?" Sonic asked, shaking his head. "How can it, is what I want to know? She and I have known each other ever since we were kids and we-we were the best of friends! And it's like that otherwise – till he comes and shoves his ugly face in between us! Then she's so different, Jess . . . _So _different . . . Like someone I've never met."

Jessica watched him painfully, shaking, hating to hear someone who feared absolutely nothing speak with such anguish in his voice.

"And this all happened at the worse possible time, too. 'Cause now Naugus could be back, and whenever he comes back, we've got a lot of trouble on our hands . . . And do you know what he uses to his advantage? What evil always uses to bring people down? Emotion! Now how can I fight, when I've got this going on, Jess?" He looked at her for a long while, not even realizing he had just poured out all the conflicts that had been eating away at his heart to her. Then, he turned his head away with a long, deep sigh and clamped his eyes shut, trying to fight his own pain.

Suddenly Jessica stepped forward and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Shhh, easy Blue . . . Hey, it's OK . . . Oh, Sonic . . ."

It was all she could do not to throw her arms around him and pull him close, to soothe him.

"Sonic, please don't be upset . . . I can't bear to see it," she whispered in his ear, tears sliding down her cheek. "You're such a strong person. Nothing can bring you down, buddy, _nothing_."

Sonic tried desperately to stop himself from trembling. "It _hurts _Jess . . . To know she can cast me aside so easily . . . To feel so abandoned . . . I don't understand . . ."

"Oh, Sonic, I know," Jessica sobbed, pressing her cheek up against his. "Sweetheart, trust me I know . . . And I'm _so sorry . . . _God, I wish there was something I could do to make you feel better, Blue . . . _anything._"

"It's not your fault, Jess," Sonic replied, calming down a little. "Maybe I'm being too paranoid . . . Maybe it's just in my mind that Sal's turning away from me. It doesn't feel that way, but I would like to believe it is . . . And you're doing the best thing anyone could do for me now," he turned and looked at her tenderly. "Standing by me. Thank you."

Jessica met his eyes and soon found herself being swallowed by their power once again. Tears of affection in her eyes, she shook her head in wonder and could no longer resist. She wrapped her arms around him and embraced him tightly.

"I know you probably get tired of hearing this, Sonic, but I _love _you."

Sonic smiled warmly. "It's nice to know someone does."

"How could anyone not, is what I'd like to know?"

"Heh, a couple people do as you may have seen."

"Well," said Jessica. "I love you, and if anyone has a problem with that or you, I'll smack 'em before even you can blink." She grinned and tapped him on the nose playfully.

Sonic smirked. "Eh, I dunno. I can blink pretty fast." He winked.

"Not faster than I can smack," Jessica laughed and gently boxed him on the ear.

Sonic's marvelous eyes shimmered emerald in the moonlight as he tossed his head. "But can you smack as fast as I can run?" And suddenly he darted away, and giggling, Jessica sprung after him.

And then a game of tag begun. It was an old game that the two had played ever since they had known one another, and each time they played it Jessica's heart seemed to be cleansed of all problems. Gone were all her worries and conflicts when she saw the sparkle in Sonic's eyes. Forgotten were her fears when she ran at his side, knowing nothing could stand in their way as long as he was there. It truly felt as if he gave her wings, wings that lifted her high above the problems of the real world and kept her in a sanctuary of happiness and love.

And Sonic? No one knew it, but he felt exactly the same way when he challenged the girl to chase him. Especially tonight. Before his mind had been tangled with worries and pain, but now it was all being cast into the wind. He had nothing to worry about when he heard her laughter, nothing to fret about when she was at his side. She listened to every word he said, and always kept a secret – he knew he could tell her anything. And that helped him so greatly. Soon all his anger at Sally and Geoffrey St. John and all his worries about the possibility of Naugus's return faded away with every stride he took.

"C'mon, Jess, you can do better than that!" he laughed, stopping and whirling about momentarily, tossing his head.

"If you're so sure, then hold still!" Jessica laughed and lunged in an attempt to tackle him.

Sonic simply sidestepped and she missed him by no more than a few inches. "Me? Stand still? Now there's one thing I _can't _do." He snickered and ran off again.

Jess jumped to her feet. "There's _nothing _you can't do!" And she dashed after him, laughing joyously.

Above the stars seemed to glimmer and shine with more brilliance than they ever had before. How they reminded Jessica of Sonic's unforgettable eyes . . . How they literally ignited into fire whenever he met a challenge, or life coursed through his veins. How they were endless seas of emotion and beauty she could delve into forever, mesmerized by their wonder and their gentleness; how they could convey so much in just a short amount of time.

Oh, how the girl wished one of those stars would fall out of the sky and into her hands . . . For something as impossible as catching Sonic's heart to happen. Because that's how terribly unlikely it was . . . The girl knew that she loved Sonic more than anything else in the world, that her heart skipped whenever she heard his voice, that the emotion pulsed through her every time she looked into his eyes. And she knew she would always love him . . . from a distance. Would she love to reach out and pull him to her, to hold him close and know that he was hers and she was his? _Of course! _Oh, how she longed for that day that would never come! How very desperately she wished that they could love one another, that they could belong to one another and walk as equals. But that possibility was just too good to ever be true. As much as she hated to admit it, she could never compare to Sally and even though it hurt her terribly to remember that she and Sonic were together, she knew it was true.

But did Jessica give up on him despite this? No . . . Even though it would be forever till she could express all her love to Sonic, forever till she could truly hold him in her arms, she would wait. If forever is what it would take, then that's how long she would wait. _Forever. _And if anything, waiting just made her love him even more.

So as that beautiful night wore on, the two companions chased each other across the great valley, taking pleasure in one another's company, caring not about the problems that had inflicted them before. After all, forever is what they had, and it would only take forever, waiting for that star to fall . . .


	6. Chapter 6 The Guardian

**.:Chapter 6:.**

**The Guardian**

As daylight broke over the lush peaks of the Emerald Mountains, a movement could be detected amongst the great pines that quilted the land in a dazzling green. He moved without a sound through the brush, even at the quick jog at which he was traveling. Suddenly, as he crested a ridge and the massive valley of the Emerald Lake yawned before him, he paused, standing in full view within the sunlight.

He was a strong, well-built creature, standing with very much the same posture as Sonic, the neck arched and chest out. He was a full four inches taller than Sonic, and broader in the shoulders. His muzzle was long, and the eyes slanted and bold. He was of the most striking color for his species -- a bright, blazing scarlet red that shone brilliantly even in the fog of early morning. The only thing that disturbed this flaming red was a white ring that wound around his neck. But what was more noticeable than his stunning color were his enormous fists, covered in thick, spiked boxing gloves. He was an echidna, but not just any echidna . . . He was the _Guardian. _

Silently his violet eyes scanned over the territory below . . . He knew he had seen them -- the same two thieves that had made off with the Master Emerald just the other night. And if it weren't for the speed of one of them, they wouldn't have escaped his wrath. All day long yesterday he had tracked them for miles across the Floating Island, using nothing but his knowledge of the island and his inate senses to find them. At last he had spotted them near the edge of the Emerald Mountains -- an enormous mountain chain that stretched across the center of the island, holding more treasures than anyone could ever find from ancient ruins to great caves littered with gems. He knew this area well, so there was no escape for the two thieves now.

Suddenly there came a movement below. The Guardian's eyes locked onto the valley floor. There! There was something dashing across the grass . . . Moving at incredible speed! Then his eyes suddenly widened. Could that be who he thought it was? As a cloud drifted away from the sun, and the light shead down on the valley, there came a sparkle of cerulean blue. Yes. It _was _him.

Quickly the Guardian turned and raced down the ridge.

Jessica and Sonic walked side by side through the forest just as the first silver streaks of daylight stretched across the sky. They had been talking nearly all night long, and weren't even aware of how time had flew by. In fact, only once did the girl rest that night near the forest. Sonic, however, couldn't relax long enough to sleep, plus he knew he had to keep an eye out for Kaligarr or Shadow if they appeared again -- as well as the Freedom Fighters. So he roamed about the valley, ever vigilant, pausing to doze every now and then, but otherwise never closing his eyes. Around three o' clock Jessica awoke and ever since then the two of them had been strolling together, back toward the camp, talking quietly together.

"I'm just trying to see how it's possible that Naugus may have returned," Jessica was saying. "I know he's a wizard . . . But Vren and the other Night Demons took care of him long ago. Wouldn't only his mind be back?"

Sonic shrugged. "Beats me, Jess. That's what I'd think. And that's probably all that it is."

"Do you think, then, that's why the Chaos Emeralds and the Master Emerald have been stolen? So he can regain his true form?"

"Most likely," Sonic shook his head. "But it seems to me that that wouldn't be enough, as powerful as they are. He'd need the essence of life . . . "

Jessica's brows furrowed. "You mean -- like he'd have to inhabit someone's body?"

"Exactly." Sonic nodded.

"Can he do that?" the girl asked.

"Heh, there's no telling what that guy can do, Jess."

The two fell silent for a moment. Then, suddenly a ray of sunlight penetrated the clouds overhead, spreading a magnificent golden light out across the landscape. And for the first time, Sonic and Jessica realized the incredible beauty of the valley and the mountains that surrounded them. As the light hit the verdant mountainsides and the trees, the land shone in the most mystifying green. Even the water roaring down the cliffs in the distance, and the crystal waters of the lake glowed green it seemed. A powerful gust of wind blew through the trees then, and leaves and flower petals swirled about their feet almost in a dreamlike fashion. And as the sky continued to clear, the two of them could see more and more of the breathtaking mountains that spread for what seemed like eternity all around them.

"_Wow,_" Jessica gasped as she looked around in wonder. "Sonic, isn't it beautiful?"

"Awesome," he replied, a new sense of life flowing through him as the wind blew through his quills. "C'mon!" he said suddenly, trotting forward. "Let's get a better look!"

He and Jessica raced up the hill that lead into the massive valley, this time aiming for the highest vantage point possible. Faster and faster Sonic sprinted through the dew-beaded grass, the wind calling to him, the wild beauty of this place filling him with spirit. Jessica hurried after him, making short leaps up the steep hillside, a wonderful feeling of freedom consuming her as well. Soon both were dashing up to the crest of the ridge, as if some wonderful surprise awaited on the other side. Sonic gathered himself and leapt up the side of a steep grade, and with two or three effortless steps he finally made it to the top, standing tall with his head high, fitting in with the world around them so perfectly.

"How is it?" Jessica asked, clambering up the grade.

Sonic smiled and pulled her up beside him. "Take a look for yourself."

The minute Jess laid eyes on the majesty that surrounded them, her jaw dropped and her mind reeled with wonder. All around them, in every direction, were the most beautiful mountains anyone could ever lay eyes on. From peak to base they were shawled in glowing emerald forests and sparkling streams. On and on they rolled, never ending, disappearing only into the skies that were constantly growing clearer, bluer. Within seconds there were no more clouds to be seen -- nothing but the richest blue stretching on into forever. Slowly the blue faded into the green of the lush mountains and valleys, so that the land seemed to glimmer like a jewel. And adding to this glistening spectacle was the mist that hung low over the valleys nestled within the mountains, including the one just below them, glittering golden in the gentle sunlight. Far, far in the horizon, Sonic and Jessica could make out an ancient temple, wrapped in vines and moss and crumbled from centuries of weathering, rearing toward the heavens. Close by there were other remnants of ancient structures -- structures that once had been great symbols of religion and history -- stone columns, great marble fountains, huge statues of gods and deities, stone stairways that disappeared into caves and other temples, and some many other treasures forgotten in the course of time.

For the longest time Jessica couldn't speak -- this marvel around her was simply too beautiful, too sacred to behold. Then, at last, she found her breath again.

"It's _amazing. . . _" she breathed.

Sonic nodded slowly. "Wow . . . I've never seen anyplace like it . . . Not even the Great Forest!"

"It just goes on and on," said Jessica. "And look at how it glows! Even the sky looks bluish-green. Oh, it's _incredible!_"

"_Past cool._" Sonic smiled, the emerald shine of the serene land below reflecting beautifully in his eyes, emphasizing their brilliance.

Together they stood, marvelling at the beauty, the wildness around them that nothing on any other planet could ever equal. Both them felt as if their souls had been set free, as if they were soaring now over this paradise. And as Jessica looked out across the dazzling green hills before her, she couldn't help but feel that sense of familiarity again. Why did these mountains seem so familiar to her? Why did they speak, no, _call _to her? What was it about them, other than their remarkable majesty, that made them so special?

"You know, Sonic," she said, "For some reason, these mountains feel and look so familiar to me . . . Even though I've never seen anything like them before. Isn't it strange? . . . Sonic?"

But Sonic hadn't heard her. When she looked over at him, she discovered that his eyes were fixed on the ridge to their right, ears pricked and alert.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Shhh," came his answer. "We're being watched . . . "

Tremors ran down Jessica's spine as she listened to his words, his low, grave voice. Shivering she moved closer to him, looking to the right, trying to see what it was that he had seen. But she could see nothing -- nothing except the rolling green grass.

"Stay back," Sonic told her, and then stepped forward boldly. "Who goes there?" he called.

At first there came no answer, and Sonic's quills bristled. He knew he had seen something -- just beyond that boulder over there -- two eyes watching them. Then, suddenly, deep, strong voice answered him.

"Don't get your quills in a ruffle, Sonic. It's me."

Then a very familiar face appeared from a smaller boulder just to the right of the one Sonic had had his eyes fixed on. A red echidna was striding toward them.

And the moment Jessica saw him she knew instantly who he was . . . And it was the first time she had met him ever since they had come to Mobius!

"_Knuckles!_"

Sonic relaxed when he saw his friend slash rival. "Well, well, long time no see, buddy. Figured we'd run into you sooner or later. What's up with spying on us like that?"

"I wasn't spying," came Knuckles' reply. "Just had to make sure it was really you, what with all the weird things that have been going on lately." Then his violet eyes turned to Jessica. "So, this must be one of those 'human' creatures that everyone has been talking about -- the ones that appear as Overlanders, but are from a different planet completely."

Jessica couldn't help but smile, thinking of how much Natalie was gong to enjoy this. "H-hello, K-Knuckles."

Knuckles perked an eyebrow. "Is that how you address the _Guardian?_"

"Oh, sorry, _Guardian._" She bowed her head respectfully.

Knuckles chuckled. "Hmph. Relax, kid, I'm just playin'. At least someone shows some respect around here, though." He glanced sidelong at Sonic who just snorted.

"So what's been going on around her, Knux?" Sonic asked. "We've received all kinds of word -- stuff 'bout the Chaos Emeralds being stolen, the Master Emerald disappearing, two fiends named Kaligarr and Shadow running around--"

"Them," Knuckles interrupted suddenly. "The griffin! And the other one. . . Have you seen them?"

"Yesterday we ran into 'em shortly after arriving," Sonic replied. "Ran off with a Chaos Emerald."

"_Another one?_" Knuckles exclaimed angrily. Then he clenched his sharp teeth. "That makes _four _now. Five counting the Master Emerald."

"Four?" Sonic asked, eyes widening. "I thought they only had two now!"

"They've been moving quick," the Guardian replied. "I've been tracking them all over this blasted island, but haven't managed to catch up. One of them -- the black one -- is incredibly fast. . . Faster than _you _even."

Sonic pinned his ears and tossed his head, remembering the race. "He's _not _faster than me. His name is Shadow, and he uses a special power called Chaos Control that allows him to warp time and space."

"Chaos Control?" Knuckles gasped. "But . . . I thought no one could control that power!"

"Apparently _he_ can." came Sonic's reply.

Knuckles grunted and clenched his fists. "We've got to do something . . . Now. I don't know what they're up to, but we've got to stop them! Whatever they're using the Chaos Emeralds for is not good!"

"We were heading back to the others now -- they're just about a mile off or so. Beyond the plain. Let's find them, and then we can get started."

"All right," said Knuckles. "And let's keep an eye out for that griffin and this 'Shadow' character. I saw them not too long ago in the Emerald Mountains."

"The Emerald Mountains?" Jessica asked curiously.

"The name of this mountain range." Knuckles explained.

"And for good reason." Jessica smiled.

"By the way, Knuckles," said Sonic. "This is Jessica. Jessica, I'm sure you already know all about Knuckles." Wink.

"Natalie'll know more." Jessica grinned widely.

"Who's Natalie?" Knuckles asked, tilting his head.

"You'll see." Jessica snickered, hardly able to contain her excitement. She knew her friend would -- to put it simply -- get the _biggest _kick out of this.

Back in camp, the Freedom Fighters were just beginning to move around now, trying to get an early start on their investigation of the island. They had noticed that Jessica went missing at about twelve o' clock, and had sent Dulcy and Nihara scouting for her, but had seen nothing and now that she and Sonic still hadn't returned, they were growing frantic.

"I'm hoping Naugus or his two little minions are having nothing to do with this . . ." Uncle Chuck murmured as he paced.

"Don't worry, Chuck," said Natalie. "We have a pretty good idea of where Jessie went. Whenever Sonic goes off, she goes to find him. And a hundred per cent of the time they come back together."

"Yes," said the older hedgehog. "But there's still a possibility she could have been captured or that they're in danger . . ."

"Shall I go search for them again?" Nihara asked, crouching on the branch of a nearby tree to keep lookout.

"You've been out nearly all night looking for them, Nihara." said Kimberly.

"I know," the warrioress replied. "but I'd risk anything for my brother a fellow Freedom Fighter." Nihara bowed her head. Ever since she had realized that Sonic's parents had taken her in when she was young, she referred to him as her "brother." They weren't related at all, but Nihara had been abandoned during the Great War and so Jules and Bernie had saved her. For this, Nihara dedicated her life to serving the Freedom Fighters and repaying her debt to Sonic.

Suddenly Dulcy appeared overhead, quickly winging her way down to camp. "Hey!" she called, and was about to say something else when suddenly her left wing caught on a treetop, causing her to lose her balance and come crashing down to the forest floor, sending the others scattering. There was an enormous crash, and then the Freedom Fighters cautiously emerged from their hiding places.

"You OK, Dulce?" Uncle Chuck asked.

"Never better, Ma." the dragon muttered, eyes crossed.

"Did you see anything?" Nihara inquired.

"Oh, yeah, I saw some mountains, trees, a few birds, and--"

"Did you see Sonic or Jessica?" Uncle Chuck exclaimed.

"Uh...oh! Oh!" Suddenly she rose to her feet, quickly regaining her senses. "I saw them! Just about a mile off! They're headed our way! And they got a friend with 'em!"

"A friend?" Natalie asked, but before the dragon could explain anything else, Jessica suddenly came running up to them from the plain.

"Guys!" she grinned, her eyes lit up like starlight.

"Jessica!" Kimberly, Natalie, Chuck and Nihara called happily, running over to meet her.

Jessica slid to a stop, panting from her run, and her friends gathered around her, clamoring excitedly.

"Where've you been?" they asked. "Are you OK? Did you see Sonic?"

Instead of answering any of their questions, Jessica turned directly to Natalie. "You won't believe what we found!"

"What!" Natalie asked.

"See for yourself." suddenly came Sonic's voice.

All at once they looked up. Standing just on the edges of the camp was Sonic -- the Guardian at his side.

"Hi," Knuckles waved.

Natalie's eyes went huge. "_KNUCKLES!" _All of a sudden the girl was flying through the air and poor Knuckles never had a chance to get away. With rather surprising force Natalie tackled him to the ground and clung to him. "Knuckles! Knuckles! Knuckles!"

" . . . I'm guessing this is Natalie?" Knuckles asked, a startled look on his face.

Jessica nodded, laughing hysterically at her friend along with Kimberly. Sonic and everyone else laughed too.

"Gee, we never could've guessed you had a thing for the guy." Sonic winked.

"Um . . . Could someone get her off?" Knux asked, trying to pull himself away from Natalie as gently as possible.

"We couldn't get her off of you even if we tied all the forces of the universe to her and tried to drag her away with 'em," Jessica laughed. Then she leaned over to Sonic. "Told ya she'd like 'im."

"I think 'like' is an understatement." Sonic snickered.

Now Natalie's mind was in the same mode that Jessica's had been the day she first discovered that Sonic and his universe were real. Her thoughts buzzed, whirled with happiness and disbelief, and she didn't know what to do -- jump for joy, run around happily, faint, or just tackle Knuckles repeatedly. After all those nights of longing just to meet him once, after all the years she had waited to know if he really existed or not, she now couldn't believe what she was holding in her arms!

Then suddenly she jumped to her feet. "I can't--this is--I--you--WHOO!" She ran around in circles, hysterical with happiness.

Knuckles climbed to his feet, gasping from breath. Then he just stared at Nat as she dashed back and forth. "Uh . . . She seems a little . . . hyper."

"To say the least." Nihara grinned, watching Natalie with amusement.

"Humans are _weird . . ._" Knuckles muttered, carefully edging past Natalie as she ran by again. "OK, back to business. Shouldn't we be getting a move on--OOF!" Suddenly Natalie flew by and tackled him again.

Sonic doubled over laughing. "This is entertaining."

The others giggled, watching their friend happily. Suddenly Uncle Chuck pulled Sonic aside.

"Well I see you found the Guardian." he snickered and winked.

"How could you tell?" Sonic grinned.

His uncle laughed. "I had no idea she was so crazy about him. It's kinda like Jessica is with you."

Sonic smiled.

Then Chuck's face sobered. "I was worried about you, m'boy. It's not quite like you to run off. And usually when you do you don't go that far. You OK, Sonny boy?"

"I feel better now that I've gotten some air," Sonic answered. "Don't worry. And I'm sorry for the whole takin' off thing . . . I had too much on my mind. Felt like I was gonna short-circuit."

"I know the feeling," Uncle Chuck replied. "and I don't blame ya. But are you sure you're OK, Sonny?"

"I'm fine, Unc," Sonic assured him. "Honest. I've cooled off. Maybe I did jump the gun a little -- even though I'm still ticked off at St. John. Tell ya what. I'm gonna go find Sal and have a talk with her. She's forgiving. She'll understand. Everything'll be cool. Promise."

And before Uncle Chuck could say anything else to his nephew, Sonic was off, running through the camp to find Sally, disappearing within the forest in a matter of seconds. Despite the happiness around him, and the joy of having Sonic and Jessica safely back, a bad feeling suddenly filled Chuck -- and he didn't like it at all . . .


	7. Chapter 7 Disaster

**.:Chapter 7:.**

**Disaster**

A short while later things had calmed down a little. Knuckles was sitting in the camp with the other Freedom Fighters, still having a little difficulty keeping Natalie from strangling him. The others had welcomed their ally in warmly, and they were now discussing the events they had been through.

"Just the other night," Knuckles was explaining. "I was sitting on the lower steps of the shrine, dozing. It must have been about eleven or twelve o' clock. For a while it was peaceful and quiet -- when I suddenly heard something rushing from behind. It sounded huge, so I jumped up immediately. And then that's when I saw the griffin trying to drag off the Master Emerald! So I ran up there to fight him off, and that's when the other one appeared -- Shadow. I challenged him too, but he was _fast! _I believe he was even faster than Sonic! He snatched the Master Emerald and suddenly he, the griffin and the emerald disappeared . . . Right into thin air."

"Chaos Control," Uncle Chuck replied. "It's an incredible power -- it can stop time, and teleport anyone and anything anywhere in the universe! In fact, we believe that Chaos Control is responsible for creating a link between Mobius and the girls' planet, Earth. It may be the way, if I can find out more about it, to get them back home again."

"Trouble is," said Nihara. "They don't really wish to go home at the present time."

"Never woulda guessed . . ." muttered Knuckles, looking down at Natalie as she clung to his arm. "Um. Anyone mind telling me why she's infatuated with me?"

Jessica snickered. "She's known you for a long time, Knux -- we all have. We just haven't _met _you, in person, until now. And that's pretty awesome, especially to Natalie who thinks you're the best thing ever."

Knuckles blinked. "How could you _know _me without ever _meeting _me? We're from two different worlds . . ."

"It's a long story," said Jess. "But in our world, your universe is considered 'fictional.' And we believed so, in a way, until one day Naugus affected the entire universe with his Spell of Darkness. And since he had landed on Earth to enslave it, Sonic and the others followed, and that's how we discovered that they were real." Jessica's eyes gleamed as she remembered of how exhilerating, how incredible it was to find out that what you've always wished to be real more than anything was as real as the day.

"So . . . On Earth, Mobius and everything about it is nothing more than a story?" asked the Guardian.

"Basically." nodded Jessica.

"That's kind of an eerie thought . . . How what we may consider fictional to be real, and having over life forms know all about us because of it." He glanced down at Natalie again. "She's cutting off the circulation in my arm . . ."

Everyone laughed, for the sight was simply irresistable. Never had they seen Natalie so happy. Then, suddenly, there came the sound of footsteps from behind.

Jessica turned to see Sonic striding toward them.

"Hi, Sonic!" she greeted cheerfully, but the moment she looked into his eyes, she knew at once that something was wrong.

There was a look there that had never been there before -- a look of fury, sadness, and extreme pain wrapped all in one. The skin on his face was drawn taut, and he was on the verge of bearing his teeth. Ears were pinned flat, quills were bristled dangerously, and fists were clenched and shaking at his sides.Fiercely he trudged toward them.

Jessica tilted her head in concern. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." came his cold, clipped reply, and his friends hardly recognized the tone of his voice.

Suddenly Sally came running up behind him. "Sonic! Sonic wait! I never--"

Sonic whirled furiously on her. "I don't want to hear it, Sally! You can't lie to me! I know what I saw!"

"Sonic, you're being ridiculous!" Sally shouted. "There you go, assuming too much again!"

"Don't tell me about assuming too much!" Jessica winced as he raised his voice. "I came back here today, assuming that everything would be all right! That there was still _hope _for you and me, that _I _was the one that was wrong! And look at what I find!"

"Well, if you hadn't run off and turned your back on us--"

"Oh, look who's accusing who of turning their back on someone!" His eyes were now flames searing right through her.

"Can you really blame me the way you just left like that?" Sally cried, standing her ground.

Sonic glared at her, shaking violently.

The others could only stare in bewilderment.

"I used to believe you were great, Sonic, but lately you've done nothing . . . At least St. John has always done things for--"

Sonic lowered his head suddenly, and the vicious look in his eyes was enough to send chills through anyone. "Don't _ever _speak to me about St. John! And don't you _dare _say I've never done anything for you! Sal, that's the biggest lie! The cruelest lie! I've given my world to you! I would have done anything for you! _Anything! _And here you are, accusing me of never do a thing for you! Tell me something, Sal, has St. John ever risked his life to save you!"

Sally just looked back at him coldly, and the Freedom Fighters could hardly believe her gall. "It always seemed to me that your ego came first . . . And I second."

Sonic gawked at her in disbelief. "How can you say that?" Finally the pain he was suffering inside was coming through . . . "How can you look at me, the one you've known all your life, the one who has been your best friend for who knows how long, the one who ran at my side despite the danger and the risk to destroy the Doomsday Project . . . and say to me that I've never put you first?"

For the first time in her life Sally couldn't bring herself to speak in her own defence . . . She knew she couldn't win this battle. For a moment her true side tried to break through the barrier. "Sonic, I didn't mean for--I didn't mean to . . . to hurt you . . ."

Sonic clamped his eyes shut and sent his teeth plunging into his lip, drawing blood. "You didn't mean to? You didn't mean to somehow end up in St. John's arms, and end up in a liplock? Is that what your telling me Sal! _Is that it!_"

Suddenly Jessica gasped, her hand slowly rising to her mouth. The others could hardly believe what they were hearing . . . .

Then Sonic turned sharply away, and Jessica would remember that wounded look in his eyes for the rest of her days. "Get away from me, Sal . . . " he shuddered. "It's over . . . You and me? Forget _everything _we've ever had together."

Sally took a cautious step forward. "Sonic . . . "

"Just _go!" _Sonic cried, his legs nearly crumpling beneath him from the anguish of it.

Everyone stood motionless, paralyzed by what they had just witnessed. Not even Sally moved for the longest time, her eyes fixed on the trembling blue creature before her. And then, without saying a word to anyone, without even giving them a last glance, she turned and walked away. The air around the otherwise beautiful forest suddenly grew cold and lifeless . . . Not even the lovely wind that had been blowing before stirred now. Nothing dared to move. There wasn't a sound in the entire forest -- nothing but Sonic's heavy, painful breathing. The Freedom Fighters just stared helplessly into thin air . . . They wanted to say something to reassure Sonic, but they could find no words, no voice to speak. They were suffering from what they had just seen and heard as well. And it felt as if a blade had pierced each and every one of their hearts.

Then suddenly Sonic shattered the stillness, abruptly whirling and taking off through the trees, running so fast that he tore the blades of grass right off the soil. In a matter of seconds he was gone, and in an instant Jessica was off after him.

"Jess!" Kimberly called, and tried to stop her, but her friend disappeared into the trees as well.

Uncle Chuck let out a long, painful sigh. "I was afraid of this . . . So afraid . . . "

Sonic and Sally's words echoed in Jessica's ears as she dashed through the trees, fighting her way past clawing branches and bramble, gritting her teeth in fury. How could she have done it? How could have Sally betrayed Sonic? After all they had been through together . . . After all they had conquered together? It was too horrible . . . This had to be a dream. The girl wished with all her heart it was. But yet here she was, running through this bleak wood now covered in shadows from the thickening trees, so cold that she now had goosebumps despite the heat of the day.

Desperately she searched through the forest to find Sonic. Gradually the land grew steeper and steeper, and several times she stumbled on her way down. But she paid no mind to any pain she suffered . . . everything inside her, her heart, her soul, her mind . . . was focused on _him. _

"Sonic!" she cried, leaping down a steep embankment. "Sonic! Sonic where are you?"

But there came no answer. The girl looked around, squinted through the shadows that allowed no or little light to pass, strained her eyes to see him . . . But it was no use. He was nowhere in sight. And he was probably far, far away from this place.

Miserably she dropped down to her knees, moaning in despair. She just _had _to find him. God, she could only imagine what he had to be suffering now! And she couldn't bear to see Sonic suffer . . . Not him. Not the one who gave everything to help others . . . _No one _made her Sonic suffer this much!

Suddenly there came a distant noise that made Jessica look up.At first she could only see the dense vegetation that only grew thicker and thicker as it went toward the mountains . . . But then she noticed a lone blue figure standing far off, near the edges of a tiny stream.

Hurriedly she hauled herself to her feet and stumbled down the rocks of the embankment, running as fast as her legs could carry her over the rough terrain. Her breath coming in gasps, she skittered across a small hillock, leaped over a branch of the stream, and slowed herself to a jog as she finally came up alongside Sonic. He gave no word, no gesture of acknowledgement. Not even his ears flicked back in the slightest way to show that he had detected her presence. Slowly, cautiously Jessica stepped toward him, and soon she was less than six inches away from him. Still he made no move. His head was lowered, eyes pressed shut. The only movement he did make was the sharp breaths he pulled in every now and then. Jessica's heart clenched.

"S-Sonic?" she asked meekly.

But her beloved friend didn't speak. He _couldn't_, Jessica realized. He was in far too much pain . . . Far too shocked to speak. Eventually he'd find his voice, she knew. He was too strong to let this hold him down for long . . . Eventually he'd speak to her, but for now she would wait. And if it took an eternity . . . If the world burned up around her . . . she would wait for him still. Not even the wrath of the Chaos Emeralds could pull her away from his side.

Hours dragged on sluggishly . . . Faint, golden patches of light broke the darkening void of shadows around them every now and then. A cold, chilled wind blew through the leaves and both of them shivered. The stream gurgled on quietly, but other than that, there was no other sound in the forest. Jessica's legs soon grew stiff and achey from standing, but she ignored them. They were of so little importance now . . . Relentlessly the girl stood at Sonic's side, never moving an inch, never taking her eyes off his reflection in the water before her. And still the hours rolled on and on . . .

Sonic knew she was there. He knew why she had come. But still he couldn't smoulder the agony inside him long enough to find words to speak. Again and again he found himself wrestling with the mounting sadness . . . desperately fighting the overwhelming loneliness and pain that was slowly consuming him. If he thought he had been suffering the night before, it was _nothing _compared to this . . . Several times he felt as if the world had fallen out from underneath him, that he'd just collapse and have no strength to get up. Real, physical pain throbbed in his chest . . . in his wounded heart. Oh, how he sought some source of comfort! How he pleaded that something would soothe this torturous wound! He battled it, and battled it still, fighting to keep his strength and his spirit, but it was all becoming too much for him to endure. He had to let it out . . . Let this pain go through him, rather than well up inside him until it was finally forced to break. And that almighty spirit that raged inside him -- that fiery core deep down in his soul would never allow itself to break, never give in to _anything. _

At last he caught hold of his voice. " . . . Jess?"

Immediately she turned to him. "S-Sonic . . . I-I can't believe . . . I'm _so _sorry, Sonic . . ."

Sonic sighed and closed his eyes for a long while. Then he said, "Guess I was wrong . . . . I _had _assumed too much . . . I believed that we still had a chance . . . " He paused, lifting his head, the building pressure causing him to quake inside. "But I was _wrong. _We had _nothing!_" Furiously he kicked the rocks on the ground, sending them toppling into the water.

A tear slid down Jessica's cheek.

"Sonic, I am _so sorry . . . so sorry . . . _I'd give anything to--I-I just can't believe how she could have done it!"

Sonic swallowed hard. "Neither did I. W-we've always been friends, me and her. We grew up together . . . learned together. We shared our deepest secrets, trusted in each other! And now _this. _T-there had been times when she would look at other guys before, but-but she always came back to me in the end . . . I wanted so bad to believe that I was just being paranoid . . . That everything was in my mind. And for a moment it worked, but then---." He looked at her, and the pain in his eyes caused Jessica to just melt into tears. "Isn't it funny, how life does that to you? One minute you have something, something that you believe will never ever die . . . only to find out with sickening realization that it's just . . . _gone . . . _"

"Sonic!" Jessica cried, and wrapped her arms around him, trembling and sobbing. She couldn't take it . . . She had to help him! She had to soothe this gaping wound that now inflicted the one thing she loved more than anything esle in the world. Gradually her sobs turned into cries that shook through her body, and she pulled Sonic as close to her as she possibly could. It wasn't _fair! _Why was he the one chosen to suffer? _Why? _All he had ever done for anyone was be kind to them, lift their spirits when darkness closed in around them, fearlessly stand in the path of any danger that threatened them, and never once asking for anything in return! He was the last person to ever deserve this! _Why did it have to be him? _

Sonic trembled in Jessica's arms and laid his head on her shoulder. "Jess . . . " he whispered. "I have never felt anything so _painful _in my life . . . I've fought the very Chaos Emeralds -- the most powerful things on the planet, with the energy to obliterate anything in their path! I've been struck by machines that weighed over two hundred tons . . . and thrown through walls of metal! But nothing has ever hurt like _this. _Oh, gods, this _hurts! _It hurts even to _breathe!_"

"Shhhh," Jessica said, stroking him. "Oh, sweetheart, I know. . . Come here. Baby, just let it all out . . . Let it all out . . ." Tears flowed down her cheeks, and despreately she fought to be strong for him. Always he had been the one to comfort her, to wash away her tears and soothe her pain. Now it was her turn to repay his debt, and she just had to be strong for him!

She pressed her cheek against his -- and discovered it to be wet. She gasped, for what she realized had sent a jolt of pain through her heart. _Tears . . . Tears were falling from Sonic's eyes! _She couldn't believe what she was seeing . . . Sonic was far too strong for tears! He had endured so many pains, so many hardships and never even flinched -- and yet here he was, _crying. _Only once had she seen Sonic truly cry -- and that was when Uncle Chuck had been roboticized . . . Sure, whenever he saw someone suffering enough, tears would come to his eyes, but they didn't slide, didn't fall from his cheeks as they did now. At last Jessica realized just what scale of pain Sonic was truly suffering.

"Oh, Sonic, no," she sobbed, holding him closer than ever. "Don't cry . . . _Please _don't cry!" But the closer she held him the more he let the pain go, forming into the tears that now dampened his beautiful eyes. More and more he trembled, gasping for breath as the agony flowed out of him slowly. Jessica turned her head and placed her hand on his cheek. "Oh, come on Sonic . . . don't cry . . . those eyes are too beautiful to be filled with tears." Gently she brushed her hand beneath his eyes, wiping the tears away. Sonic closed his eyes and allowed himself to be comforted. This was what he needed more than anything else in the world right now, and he didn't care what it would take -- as long as this pain was soothed.

"Look at me, Sonic," Jessica said suddenly, looking deep into those wondrous emerald orbs. "You're going to get over this, bud . . . I-It's like you always say . . . everything's gonna be OK . . . And I'll make sure of that, baby. You know how you promise me that it'll all be OK whenever I'm hurt or sad -- well now I'm promising it to you, sweetheart." She sniffled and held him.

"Please don't leave me, Jess . . . " he pleaded. "You're healing this pain inside me . . . And if I go on suffering it I'll go crazy! _Please _stay with me . . ."

"Don't you worry, Blue," she sobbed, stroking his quills tenderly. "I will _never ever _leave you . . . _Never . . . Never . . ." _

"Jess?" Sonic asked suddenly.

"Yes?"

"Thank you . . . For being there for me. For all your help and concern . . . Thank you for being my friend."

Jessica sniffed and wiped the tears from her eyes. " . . . A-any day, Sonic . . . Anything for you, Sonic. Anything."

She sighed and held him close -- close enough to hear his heartbeat. She couldn't have cared who saw her then. Once, long ago, she would have . . . But not now. Now it was different. This was the first time Sonic had ever needed her, and she wasn't going to let anything stand in her way to be there when he was in need. Let them see and say what they will . . . What other people thought made no difference to her. What was important, was Sonic. And she'd be there for him always.

And for the second time since this adventure started, Sonic suddenly felt glad -- glad it was Jess here with him. What was this growing need to have Jessica beside him wherever he went? He had never felt quite like this for anyone . . . Not even Sally.

"Sonic?" Jessica asked.

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

Unbeknownst to the two of them a blue star was beginning to glow in the darkening skies above . . .


	8. Chapter 8 Naugus Returns

**.:Chapter 8:.**

**Naugus Returns**

Over the mountains, just as the skies began to darken, Kaligarr raced effortlessly over the moss-covered rocks and steep cliffs, a blur of black running straight ahead of him. The two minions were ascending one of the highest Emerald Mountain peaks, their every sense alert, on the hunt of a very valuable gem.

"Is it close by, Shadow?" the griffin called, leaping up a steep cliff face.

"Just ahead," came his reply. "There's an ancient temple on the peak. It's there it's hidden -- I can feel its energy!"

On and on they climbed, and then suddenly, up ahead, there appeared a great temple of marble half-buried in creeping vines, moss and ferns. The hedgehog and the griffin bolted forward eagerly. But they soon slid to a halt. The entrance to the chamber was blocked completely by vegetation and crumbled rock.

"It's inside," said Shadow. "Come, we must get this entrance open."

Kaligarr immediately reared up and began to slash violently at the thick vines with his enormous talons, raking the plants away and sending them flying. Shadow ran back into the forest, and seconds later came charging back, leaping and ramming into the moss-covered boulder that barred their path. It shifted slightly beneath his hit, and he repeated the process while Kaligarr continued to weaken it with his mighty claws. Finally the boulder rolled a few inches away, and now the griffin slammed his forepaws against it in unison with Shadow. At last the rock rolled away and collapsed, and the two searchers bounded inside and began to tear through the timeless ruins.

"Search everywhere," Kaligarr ordered. "even underground. These emeralds could be anywhere."

Shadow roamed about the temple, searching every nook and cranny, following the tingling he felt in his blood. The emerald was here . . . He could feel the powerful energy radiating, reacting with his life force. It made him feel faster, stronger, and slightly weightless. And for this he knew he was truly the Ultimate Life Form, for no one else could call upon the power of the Chaos Emeralds . . . Or so he believed.

Kaligarr scoured every corner of the ruins with his keen, eagle eyes. He slashed away anything that stood in his way, be it merely plants or rocks, and using his great height he looked on the stone shelves and statues that were near the ceiling.

For nearly an hour the search went on, and at first the partners were about ready to give up and begin excavating the temple when suddenly Shadow noticed a small crevice in the wall, hidden in shadow beneath a great growth of moss near the back of the room. He hadn't seen it before because it had been too dark, but now a small sliver of moon was glowing in the night sky, and suddenly a flicker of green caught his eye. Stooping down, he reached into the hole, and soon brought out the green Chaos Emerald that had been so well camouflaged.

"Bingo," grinned Kaligarr darkly. "That makes _five._ And with the Master Emerald, we just may have enough power . . . Let's go."

As the two started back down the mountain again, a voice suddenly whispered through the wind.

"_Head south . . . I do believe our friends are near the valley just below._"

"But sir, don't we need _them _later?" Kaligarr asked.

"_Trust me my friend. All will become clear when you reach them._"

The griffin whirled around and bolted toward the south at his fastest speed.

"Shall I run ahead?" Shadow asked, easily matching his pace.

"For the time being stay here," Kaligarr replied. "I don't know what exactly Naugus wants us to do when we find those Freedom Fighters, but I suppose we'll find out soon enough."

Nihara slashed the side of a tree furiously with her sword. "I'll kill him! I'll kill that miserable fool St. John!" She snarled.

"Freedom Fighters don't kill one another, Nihara," Uncle Chuck said quietly. "If we did, we'd be no better than the evil we fight."

"_He _is not a Freedom Fighter," she hissed. "He's nothing but a product of evil himself! You've heard and seen what he's done. Aren't you furious at him as well?"

"Of course I am," Chuck replied. "It's my nephew that's hurt after all. But would resorting to that kind of violence help anything?"

"It'd satisfy me," Nihara retorted, her black eyes blazing. "I won't tolerate back-stabbers, Uncle, everyone knows that. I've dealt with too many of them in the past."

"If anyone's the back-stabber it's Sally," Knuckles spoke up suddenly. "Don't think Sonic's the only one she's done this to." There came a cold look in his eyes. "She said she was my friend once . . . What a lie."

"I'll kill her too," Nihara snorted. "After all, I believed I could trust her too. If it's anything I despise, it's people who act like they're your best friends in the world, and then turn right around and put a blade through your heart!"

"I don't blame you, hon," Bunnie said softly. "But I'm afraid Chuck's right. Killing them would only make things worse . . . Right now we have bigger problems to worry about."

Nihara stared at them all in disbelief. "You mean to tell me that we're just gonna let them get away with this?"

"The wicked receive their just reward," said Uncle Chuck. "Fate will find its own way to punish them for their crime."

Nihara snarled and raked the bark off the tree again with another violent slash. "The wicked never receive anything except what they don't deserve. That's why I'd like to do the job myself, so I know they'll pay!"

"Killing will make you just as wicked," came his patient reply. "Trust me. I'm hurt and I'm angry too . . . But if it's anyone we need to focus on destroying now, it's Naugus."

"Speaking of which, we've already wasted too much time," said Knuckles. "He's out there now looking for the rest of the Chaos Emeralds, and he only needs three more."

"We had better start searching for them," Chuck nodded. "I know it's been terribly hard on everyone, but for the good of the planet, we must get moving."

"Then we'd better get started," Knuckles muttered, rising to his feet. "They headed south, into the woods. About a mile and a half up that way there's a river. They couldn't have gone too far because further on that river gets pretty big and turns into rapids. Dangerous rapids. These mountains are full of them."

"Lead the way Knuckles," Uncle Chuck smiled, and then they started off, following the Guardian of the Floating Island through the dense forest.

Just as they began to enter the trees, Kimberly suddenly stopped dead in her tracks and gasped.

Her vision had suddenly flashed -- and then, she was no longer with her friends in the Emerald Mountains, but in some strange, distant place she had never even seen before. There seemed to be nothing all around her . . . Nothing but swirling clouds of gas and dust slowly drifting about her, glowing in mystifying shades of dark blues, violets and silvers. Farther in the distance, however, there soon appeared glimmers of white. The girl desperately tried to look harder and find out what they were, but the image was too blurry. Then something even stranger happened. There, just ahead of her, suddenly appeared two figures. One was tall and blacker than a stormy night. At first it looked as if he may have been pure black, but it was then she distinguished the streaks of red on his head and quills. _Shadow. _

Shadow had his head turned to the figure at his side, and it looked as if they were talking about something. Kimberly tried to make out their words, but no sound came to her ears. So instead she focused on the one alongside Shadow. This unknown stranger looked black at first too, but Kim noticed that the head was a dark shade of violet, almost the same color as Kaligarr. And then, for some odd reason, Kimberly suddenly felt the strongest sense of recognition for this stranger . . . It looked like someone she hadn't seen in ages, someone she wanted to run to. The girl had no idea why the stranger called to her, but she found herself squinting, trying harder and harder to clear this misty picture before her. Then she saw a movement from the black-and-violet one . . . It lifted its head, and suddenly there came a shimmer of gold . . . And then the vision was gone. It had happened at last. All three girls had seen visions.

"Kim, you OK?" Natalie's voice suddenly reached Kimberly's ears.

Kimberly shook her head as she remembered where she really was, and for a moment she stood there motionless, taking in all she had just seen.

"What's the matter?" Natalie asked again. " . . . Oh, don't tell me you saw a vision too . . . "

" . . . I did," Kim answered hesitantly, shivering slightly. "At last I did . . . It was so strange."

Now everyone was looking at her curiously.

"What do you mean vision?" Knuckles asked.

"Ever since this began," explained Natalie. "We've all had visions -- me, Kim and Jess that is."

"Of what?"

"Jess said something about seeing a beautiful forest . . . And I had a vision about a shrine, and there was a green glow--"

Suddenly Knuckles interrupted. "Whoa, whoa, whoa," he said, waving his hands. "A shrine? The Master Emerald shrine?"

"That must have been it," she nodded. "It was a tall shrine, surrounded by stone columns. The green glow was at the top."

The Guardian furrowed his eyes wonderingly. "I don't know what it means . . . But I doubt it's anything good. I've heard talk that when Naugus is around people have visions. And they're normally ones he's trying to reach."

"Reach?" Kimberly asked, something peculiar in the tone of her voice. Words began to whisper through her head again.

"_Come to us . . . For we come for you. Come to us . . . _"

"Why would Naugus try to reach us?" Natalie asked.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Knuckles shrugged. "But that's just what I've heard. It all depends on what you're seeing and feeling with these visions. Kimberly, what did you see?" They turned their eyes on the girl, who now looked suddenly so far away from them.

". . . I-I saw some kind of . . . void, of clouds and vapors swirling about each other. And then I saw--I saw two figures ahead of me. One of them was Shadow. I recognized him by his black-and-red color. And the one beside him was purple-and-black . . . I have no idea who it was."

"Purple and black?" Natalie asked. "What was it?"

". . . I don't know. It was no taller than Shadow . . . And I think it had the same kind of muzzle -- short and tan from nose to cheek. But other than that I couldn't tell much about it. It was too blurry . . ."

"Great," Knuckles replied. "Probably another enemy we'll run into . . . Just what we need."

"Does anyone besides me feel that this situation is getting far out of hand?" Nihara asked.

"Too far out of hand," the Guardian answered. "So let's move. We're wasting valauble time."

As they began to move on again, Kimberly lingered for a moment, her gaze still fixed on the ground.

"Kim," Natalie called. "You sure you're OK?"

" . . . Yeah. Yeah I'm fine. Let's go." She didn't quite understand the sudden urge not to join the Freedom Fighters just then. For a brief second it felt as if something had pulled her away, like some invisbile thread. But it was gone even quicker than it had come, and slowly she took a step forward. It was all so confusing . . . It seemed as if these "voices" she kept hearing were getting stronger and clearer every time they spoke to her . . . And that vision. Feeling such a strong sense of recognition, of desire to run to that unknown figure unnerved her greatly. What did it all mean? Like the blue star, was this too an omen?

Very troubled inside suddenly, Kimberly finally followed after the small group, lagging a few steps behind, trying desperately to collect her thoughts and get her mind off the vision.

Directly above them, homing in from the north, was a great griffin, a dark silhouette perched upon his back . . .

Sonic stooped down to the river now glittering with the silver moonlight, cupped the icy water in his hands and wet his face to wash away any remnants of the pain he had suffered earlier. He knew he could never truly wash away the scars that Sally had left inside him, but whatever wounds he could heal, whatever signs of his anguish he could clear away, he would tend to. Finally he rose to his feet and shook the remaining water off in a misty spray, and turned his head toward the fast-approaching night.

"We'd better go back," he said quietly. "As it is I feel guilty enough in leaving the Freedom Fighters _twice _now."

"It wasn't your fault," Jessica answered calmly from the darkness of the trees. "You gonna be OK, Blue?"

"I'll bounce back," came his sullen reply. "It'll take a while . . . Probably longer than I've ever taken to heal . . . But I've got to. If I ever really want to be myself again."

"I'll be there to help you," Jessica assured him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Thanks," he smiled, the moonbeams catching that remarkable sparkle of spirit in his eyes.

Jessica shook her head in wonder. It was amazing. He had been hurt, wounded, like he never had been before, and yet that spirit _still _flamed. Weaker than it normally did . . . But it was there, alive and flickering. Truly nothing could take that light out of this emerald eyes. It just couldn't be done. Jessica knew that now more than ever.

Sonic then turned around and headed for the trail that led back to camp, walking slowly to allow Jessica to walk beside him. The girl was about to follow him, when suddenly something blue glinted in the waters below. At first she thought it had been the moonlight reflecting off the river, but when she looked down, she discovered that the light was far too brilliant to be the moon's. It glowed as if it had a life of its own, piercing right through the crystal-clear water and into the night air. Kneeling down, she reached her hand into the river and withdrew a light blue Chaos Emerald.

"Sonic, look," she called, holding up the glimmering gem.

"Huh, well look at that," he smiled. "I thought I sensed the energy . . . Makes our job easier. Let's bring it back so Naugus can get a hold of it."

Jess grinned and jogged over to him, and they began to walk back together.

For a long while the two were silent, enjoying the peaceful nocturnal sounds that echoed around them. Crickets and other night insects chirped in the trees overhead, accompanied by the chorus of tree frogs and the occasional hoot of an owl. A gentle breeze sifted through the grass, creating a soft whisper that relaxed the both of them. Then, the girl looked up pensively into the starry sky above.

". . . I sometimes wonder what our families are thinking back on Earth . . . Whether they think we've been lost forever in the forest, or if they're searching for us."

"Do you miss them?" Sonic asked quietly.

"I do," came her reply. "But I could never leave Mobius. And even if I did, there's still a part of me that will _never _leave." She sighed and turned her gaze back to the ground. "Do you think that Uncle Chuck could be right about the power of Chaos Control? Especially now that he knows Shadow, the only one who can use it, exists?"

Sonic furrowed his eyes and shook his head slowly. "I dunno, Jess. It's possible . . . I mean, Shadow can use that power at his own will, it looks like. But I have no clue on how he's gonna learn anything about it. What's he gonna do? Catch Shadow?" Again his eyes flamed as he remembered his race across the mountaintop with his daring look-alike. "He's fast, Jess. Faster than anyone else I've come up against except for maybe Black, but he was a robot. But I'll outrun him the next time we meet. Trust me."

"This I believe," Jessica smiled lightly. "But . . . in the event that Uncle Chuck does reveal the secret of the power . . . will we be made to go home? Or will we have a choice?"

Sonic paused and closed his eyes for a moment, as if trying to make a difficult decision. "I won't make you go home, Jess. Not--Not unless it was vital to your survival . . . Now, if it was the best thing for you, Nat and Kim. If it meant the difference between life and death, sure I'd send ya home. But otherwise . . . I--Jess, I don't think I could bear it if you went home, honestly."

Jessica turned and looked at him intently now. " . . . You couldn't?"

"No," he answered slowly. "after knowing the three of you so long, it just wouldn't be the same. I mean, we've always done things together, especially you and I. We race together, and explore. No one else but Tails does things with me like that . . . Sally never did. And who couldn't miss Kimberly's exceptional computer skills or Nat fly-tackling Knuckles every five seconds? I've only seen her do that one day and it seems as if it's been going on for ages."

Jessica snickered. "Yeah. I'm so glad she got to meet him at last . . . She's wanted to forever. Kinda like how I used to dream about meeting you."

Sonic smiled slightly, and suddenly that joy of having this girl at his side returned. It was getting stronger and stronger every time . . .

"I don't think you have to worry, Jess," he grinned, "What could be so bad that it'd force you, Kim and Nat to go back?"

"Hopefully nothing." she answered. "besides I don't believe any force in the universe would force me to leave." She winked.

Sonic snickered and started off again . . . And then he suddenly stopped about four strides later, his body going rigid and his ears pricked forward. Jessica immediately saw the tension in his posture, and came up beside him.

"What is it?"

For a second Sonic didn't respond . . . His quills stiffened, and then suddenly he burst forward with such speed and suddenness that Jessica was nearly brought to the ground. Startled, she flailed her arms until she caught her balance, and then sprinted after him.

"Sonic! What's wrong?" she cried.

Sonic clenched his teeth, eyes locked on the sky. "Kaligarr and Shadow! I just saw 'em! They're headed toward the camp!"

He surged forward with tremendous speed, tearing past the branches and ripping the leaves right off the trees. Jessica strained to keep up with him, but soon fell back despite her efforts. Suddenly the sound of shouts and startled cries filled the air, and Sonic and Jess knew that a battle had erupted. Sonic pinned his ears flat, and rammed his way past clawing tree branches and dense brush. He had gone through too much already . . . He wasn't about to lose any of his friends.

"Blast you griffin, what do you want with us!" Nihara cried, holding off Kaligarr as the great beast charged the group.

"I have my orders, hedgehog!" he snarled, swiping his enormous talons just inches above her head. "Now stand down and listen to me, or it'll be your friends that suffer!"

The warrioress's eyes blazed and there was a great clash of metal as her sword met his claws. "You lay a paw on them and I swear I'll have your head!"

Behind her some of the Freedom Fighters tried to join her and fight off the griffin, while the others were trapped behind, Shadow guarding them. They had been divided when Kaligarr dive-bombed them, and now they were all being forced to opposite ends of the camp to be restrained. Natalie was in the group guarded by Kaligarr with Knuckles and Nihara, and Kimberly was in the other. Desperately she and the others tried to break past Shadow and assist their comrades, but it was hopeless. Every time Shadow would bar their path, moving far too fast for them. And with brute force alone he herded them back.

Bunnie tried to rally her group.

"Come on! There's more than seven of us and only one of him! We can take him!"

Shadow glared at her, his crimson eyes flaming. "You'll keep your head down if you know what's good for you."

"What's good for me joinin' the battle!" Bunnie cried defiantly.

"If you challenge me then come forth and face me!" came his bold reply, and he tossed his head as if to dare her to even take a step toward him.

Bunnie realized she could never match Shadow's speed . . . Not after witnessing him match strides with Sonic! But perhaps the black hedgehog before her was more speed than strength, and if it was one thing she was talented at, it was strength. Being part-robot aided her greatly in that aspect, and for the sake of her fellow Freedom Fighters she had to do something! Suddenly she raced forward to take Shadow's challenge, her long ears swept back fearlessly.

What came next caused the others to recoil in horror. Bunnie never had a chance to see what hit her. Shadow stood before her without so much as flinching, and then, suddenly, he lifted his hand and there came a shockwave of energy that repelled her back with furious force! The Freedom Fighters scattered, and Bunnie hit the ground hard.

Shadow merely snorted. "You fool -- challenging the power of the Ultimate Life Form. I was created by the renowned scientist Professor Gerald Robotnik, and I hold more power, more indescribable energy in one hand than any of you do within your bodies!"

Unlce Chuck helped Bunnie to her feet. "Bunnie, are you OK?"

The gallant Freedom Fighter staggered to her feet, stunned, but unharmed. "Yeah, sugah, I'm all right . . . How did he do that? The power of the Chaos Emeralds?"

The black hedgehog's cold, emotionless gaze pierced through hers. "I only need one emerald to do that, my friend. And I seriously doubt that you'd like to see what I could do with all seven. Now, if everyone does what I say, no one shall be harmed!"

"But what is it you want?" Uncle Chuck pleaded. "What is it Naugus is asking from us?"

"Have you ever heard the term prisoners of war?" Shadow asked brusquely. "Silence! I give the orders here now! Now surrender yourselves, or I shall have to give you a taste of my wrath!"

Suddenly, from out of nowhere, Kimberly stepped forward. Before she could even realize what she was doing, she was standing face-to-face with Shadow, looking right into his glowing red eyes. Somehow she felt no fear as she stood there before him . . . And she hardly even knew what it was that drew her toward him in the first place.

"Why are you doing this, Shadow?" she asked calmly. The others stared in amazement.

Shadow looked hard at her for a moment, hardly believing her courage. "Because my master demands it. You dare stand in my shadow without fear? Without even a twinge of doubt? Who are you?"

"I won't fight you -- not unless you hurt my friends," came Kimberly's answer. Then she thought hard, trying to remember Shadow as he had been portrayed on Earth. "I know who you really are . . . You're not really so hard, so cruel on the inside are you Shadow?"

Shadow blinked in surprise, and then intensified his fiery glare. "How do you know of what I am? No one knows who I truly am!"

All of a sudden a familiar voice flowed through Shadow's mind.

"_Humor her . . . Remember, she is vital to our plans. Take her prisoner . . . Nevermind the others. It is her I want right now. Her alone._"

Suddenly somthing in Shadow's gaze softened . . . And Kimberly fancied she even saw a bit of life fade away from his eyes. " . . . Nevermind," he replied slowly. "You're right . . . I don't need the others. All I need is _you_."

The others stared, puzzled.

Kimberly was about to say something, when suddenly a curtain seemed to descend upon her her mind. Her eyes went completely blank, as they had before on the mountainside, when they first ran into Shadow and Kaligarr. Thoughts were pouring into her head . . . Thoughts that were not her own. They spoke to her, but not in her voice.

"_This is not your place . . . Your place is with me. You've seen me in your sub-conscious . . . Heard my voice. Face reality. Mobius does not exist . . . Only I do. Leave behind this world of foolish lies and false hopes, and join me!_"

Kimberly wanted to shake her head, and rid herself of that horrid voice that kept whispering to her, beckoning her to "face reality." But suddenly she realized she couldn't move . . . Couldn't take control of her actions. She was hypnotized -- but Kaligarr wasn't even facing her! Could Shadow possess the power of hypnosis too?

Suddenly the girl found herself walking toward Shadow. "Yes," she said, speaking in a void she hardly recognized. "Take me to Naugus. This land is nothing but a pack of lies . . . Of foolish fantasy. Take me to reality."

"What is she sayin'!" Bunnie gasped.

Now the Freedom Fighters in Kaligarr's group had seen Kimberly comning toward Shadow, who was slowly leading her to Kaligarr.

"Kim!" Natalie called. "What are you doing! Stop!"

"Silence!" Kim cried suddenly, causing her friends to jump. When she turned on them, her eyes were cold, unfeeling . . . "I do not listen to the subjects of dreams and illusions!"

"Kim?" Natalie asked, startled. "What are you doing? It's us! The Freedom Fighters! We're your friends!"

"I have no friends," she retorted. "I don't trust anyone or anything, except my own instincts."

The Freedom Fighters could only goggle at the girl, stunned. Somehow Kaligarr had to be holding some kind of control over her . . . Or could it be the work of Naugus?

Suddenly the great griffin cackled. "Looks like one of you pathetic Freedom Fighters has brains. Come, human! We go to Master Naugus." He strutted toward Kimberly, spread his wings and lowered down so she could mount.

"Kim, no!" Natalie shouted.

But Kimberly ignored the calls of her friends. She followed Shadow to Kaligarr, reaching for his muscular shoulders to clamber on his back.

The Freedom Fighters desperately tried to think of a plan to stop them, to somehow break whatever trance Kimberly was in. Then, suddenly, Natalie got an idea.

"Hey! Featherhead!" she yelled.

Kaligarr turned to her with a hiss.

Natalie reached quickly into a supply pack beside her, and withdrew a Power Ring. "Wouldn't you rather have this instead of some human?"

At once Kaligarr and Shadow's eyes widened.

"The Power Ring!" Kaligarr gasped. "It possesses incredible energy!"

"Well then _catch!_" With that Natalie tossed the golden ring high into the air.

Kaligarr wasted no time. He crouched, coiling his powerful muscles like a cat and leaping skywards, head outstretched to seize the Power Ring. That's when Natalie saw her chance. Boldly she dashed forward, leapt up with him and managed to reach her arms around his neck when he lowered it to gain upward momentum, tightening her grip around his throat tightly and slamming her fist into the sensitive area on the back of his head, just behind his ears. The griffin screeched in pain, and furiously he jerked his hindlegs sideways to break free, causing him to miss the ring and fall heavily to the ground.

The Freedom Fighters gasped. "Natalie, are you crazy!"

Natalie didn't have time to answer, for Kaligarr had soon broke away from her, and now he towered over her, snarling with rage.

"You fool! I'll teach you to trick me!"

He raised his massive talons high above her head, preparing to swipe. Natalie knew she could never outrun his strike, so she did the next best thing -- she dove to the ground. She could only hope his claws would just miss her.

Then, suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, came a flash of red! Knuckles soared right through the air, and with one, forceful hit, brought his fist up hard beneath Kaligarr's jaw and sent him tumbling backwards!

Again the air was filled with astounded gasps. Natalie looked up, and once she saw Knuckles standing a few feet away, fists clenched, and Kaligarr sprawled out on the ground, she grinned.

"Nice shot, Red."

"Not a bad hit yourself."

There was a heavy grunt as Kaligarr shook his head and clambered to his feet, and then the beast pinned his ears against his thick black mane and roared. "You idiots want to make a battle of this! Then so be it! Shadow!"

But the black hedgehog didn't respond . . . He had his head turned in the direction of the forest, his long ears pricked forward.

"Shadow, you fool!" Kaligarr snarled. "Do as I say!"

"Wait," came Shadow's calm reply. "I sense something . . . Something--"

He never had time to finish his sentence, because all of a sudden the air seemed to erupt into a storm as a powerful gale swept through the camp, nearly knocking everyone off their feet. And then, standing tall ahead of his comrades, and looking directly into the eyes of his enemies, was Sonic! Not long afterward Jessica emerged into the clearing too, in a dead pant, but narrowing her eyes when she saw the danger that threatened them, ready to fight for her friends.

"_Sonic! Jessica!_" The Freedom Fighters all cried with relief when they saw their beloved leader and the girl that followed him like a shadow back and unharmed.

Sonic looked over the group to make sure no one had been hurt, and then faced Shadow and Kaligarr with piercing eyes. "Back off, guys! There's no way you are your "master" are gonna win this!"

Kaligarr lashed his long tail and pawed the ground in challenge, leering back at Sonic viciously. "_You. _You are quick and gallant, Hedgehog! But not even your superior speed or fortunate timing can save your band of spineless rebels from Naugus! Shadow, take him!"

But Shadow's eyes were not on Sonic at the moment . . . They were on Jessica . . . Or rather, _what she held in her hands . . . _He knew he had sensed another Chaos Emerald. And not only that, but now there was a commanding voice booming in his and Kaligarr's heads.

"_The sixth Chaos Emerald! Seize it, Shadow! Kaligarr, you take the human girl!_"

"So _that's _why he brought us here," Kaligarr snickered and suddenly whirled toward Jessica.

All at once Jessica realized her mistake in bringing the emerald into the camp . . . She should have hidden it back near the river, where it would have been a considerable distance away. Desperately she tried to run into the safety of the group that had joined together again beneath the cover of the nearby trees. Sonic immediately came to her aid, dashing toward Kaligarr to cut him off. The griffin only smiled. _That's right where he wanted him to go. _

Pulling up hard on his hindquarters, Kaligarr whipped around and faced Sonic. While the Freedom Fighter leader was preoccupied, that's when Shadow made his move. All of a sudden he was right behind Jessica, and since she had not been prepared for him, he easily snatched the blue emerald right out of her hands.

"NO!" Jessica yelled.

Knuckles lunged for Shadow, but with the power of Chaos Control, the hedgehog disappeared into thin air.

Kaligarr cackled triumphantly. "Looks like Shadow pulled a _fast _one," he smirked, and then galloped over to Kimberly who wasted no time vaulting on his back. "So long, Freedom Fighters! We _will _meet again!"

"Kim!" Jessica cried, but no answer came from her friend.

Sonic tossed his head furiously, hardly believing the luck they were having in this fast-approaching war.

But there was no time to discuss what to do next, or even attempt to try and chase after Kaligarr and Kimberly . . . For suddenly, in the vast plain just outside of the wood, a blinding light blazed, and quickly diminished to reveal a great portal of swiriling violet and yellow vapor. Chills of horror and disbelief trembling down the backs of the Freedom Fighters as a painfully familiar laughter filled the air -- a laughter laden with evilness, lust and dark triumph.

"_At last! At last I have found the power to release me from this prison I have known so long! At last my magic has the energy it needs, to make _anything _possible! Quake with fear, Freedom Fighters! For Naugus has returned!_"


	9. Chapter 9 The Void

**.:Chapter 9:.**

**The Void**

Sonic shook his head, hardly believing what he was seeing. The way things had been going it was hardly to believe anything anymore. But _this _couldn't be real . . . Naugus, Ixis Naugus, the evil sorcerer that had once been partners with Mobius's oldest enemy Dr. Robotnik, and the very same enemy that ironically had brought the girls and the Freedom Fighters together in the beginning. But Sonic had witnessed Naugus die right before his eyes! It was in the great stone chambers that guarded the Red Glow, where he himself had summoned the power of the Chaos Emeralds and transformed into Super Sonic! He had easily overwhelmed Naugus with is intensified power and speed, and then it was the pack of Night Demons who took him in the end to avenge Vren.

Yet here was Naugus, directly ahead of him, as real as the day. The only thing different about the wizard was that he was no more than a ghostly apparition, nothing but a spirit. Everything else was the same. His eyes glowed a burning red and flickered with cunning. When he smirked, sharp, wicked teeth glinted in the blinding light of the ever-spinning Void. His long, white beard billowed in the wind along with his dark cape. There was no description for what Naugus truly was in the line of species or race -- there never had been. His origin and past had been a mystery ever since the Freedom Fighters learned of his power. Most just accepted him as nothing but pure evil, like his ex-partner, for evil had no true form.

Again Naugus's strident, wheezing voice filled the air.

"Why, if it isn't my old friend the Quickster." He smirked darkly in Sonic's direction, and the Freedom Fighter leader pinned his ears in response.

"_Naugus_," he said coldly. "So it's true. You are back."

"Ah, back in a sense, Quickster," Naugus replied. "I am finally free of the Void, having slowly and painfully regained my magic over the years. One little thing you foolish Freedom Fighters forgot when you 'killed' my, Hedgehog. A sorcerer of my aptitude can never be truly destroyed. Our bodies may die, but our magic and our spirits can heal and come back over time, as mine has done. But I will not be in this form for long . . . Soon I will regain my life force, and be back in this world forever!"

"Don't bet on it, Naugus," said Sonic. "I don't care what happens, I'm _not _gonna let Mobius be taken over again. Especially by you!"

Suddenly Knuckles stepped forward. "How can you regain your life force? You need a body, and your body from what I hear has been destroyed."

Naugus turned to Knuckles, and his eyes narrowed scornfully. "Ah, Knuckles, Guardian of the Floating Island. Yes, I've heard about you. You descend from a very intelligent race indeed. Intelligent . . . but ever so gullible."

"Don't diss the echidna race, pal," Natalie suddenly growled, eyeing Naugus hatefully.

Now the wizard looked at her. "I remember the first two humans who managed to somehow escape the Night Demons back during the Spell of Darkness. But I do not believe we have been introduced. Ixis Naugus."

"Natalie," she returned coldly. "The pleasure's _not _mine."

Ixis only chuckled. "I have always admired the human race for their spirit. Yes, once I have conquered Mobius, I will target them next. Their lust for power would make them marvelous minions."

"What do you want, Naugus?" Sonic spoke in a hiss.

"Want? Why, conquest, Hedgehog! Vengeance! After being betrayed by Robotnik, and having my plans foiled the first time by you feted Freedom Fighters, I have elaborated long and hard while regaining my strength in the Void, devising some way to take total control over Mobius. And at last, it has come to me! I have a plan, Hedgehog, a plan that not even you, the most renowned warrior of the old kingdom, the most imfamous Freedom Fighter of them all, can stop."

"You wanna bet, Naugus? Throw anything you got at us! You may be strong, and you may have superior magical powers, but you can _never _defeat the spirit of Mobius. The Freedom Fighters and all the other rebels _are _that spirit."

"Ah, bravely spoken, Quickster. But you forget one tiny little detail. I have the power of the Chaos Emeralds on my side, and this time, aided by the control of the Master Emerald, and combined with my magic, they'll wield powers beyond your mortal imagination."

"You forget one detail too, buddy," Sonic returned. "I can harness the emeralds' power."

"And I can control the Master Emerald." Knuckles added.

"Oh no, I haven't forgotten. I remember very well, how at the last second during the Spell of Darkness how you summoned their awesome power, and brought my plan and my magic crashing down. And I know very well, Knuckles, of your ability to control the Master Emerald. It is in your blood. But, you see, I have come up with a way to stop even that possibility."

"What do you mean?" asked Sonic, narrowing his eyes.

"Do you remember a realm in the Void known as Sanctuary?" inquired Naugus. "It is a vast world of nothing but pure ice as far as the eye can see. A peaceful world where _anything _is possible. The magic of one's heart and mind is enough to make their deepest dreams come true. Well, once I cast my spell, using the power of the emeralds, I will be able to do absolutely anything within the universe."

The Freedom Fighters looked at each other in amazement.

"But that can't be true . . . " said Nihara. "Even if you do have the Chaos Emeralds under your control, you still need a body like Knuckles said."

"And you can't leave the Void," Sonic added. "Even as a spirit, it'd stop you because you don't have the magical ability to escape."

Naugus shook his head in mock pity. "Ah, my friends, you do not realize how full proof this master plan truly is. I've looked at every little possibility, every possible flaw, to make sure it could not fail. Don't worry, I'll gain my life force back. And as for leaving the Void, let me clue you in on the biggest part of my plan of all."

Sonic pricked his ears forward. "I'm waiting."

Naugus smirked malevolently, his red eyes glittering. "I am about to unleash a spell, Freedom Fighters, a spell that is sure to trap all of Mobius hopelessly within my snare. There is no way to stop it, no way to control it, unless you were me of course."

They all had their eyes fixed on him now, trying to remain as fearless as possible. They had faith in each other, and their fellow rebels, but what could possibly capture all of Mobius with one spell? It didn't seem possible.

"It is truly my greatest stroke of genius yet. It is a spell that will increase the energy of the Void rapidly, causing it to grow and grow. It will continue indefinately, until at last, the Void has engulfed the _entire planet of Mobius._"

Sonic's eyes widened. " . . . That's impossible!"

"_Anything _is possible in Sanctuary, remember?" Naugus grinned.

"But the Void engulfing the planet! That's--that's preposterous!"

The smirk on Naugus's face spread nearly to his enormous pointed ears. "Fazed, are you Quickster? I do believe you've lost a great deal of your luster since our last meeting. No matter -- all the easier to conquer when emotions play a part in it."

Sonic suddenly bolted forward, dangerously close to the mouth of the Void and the furious wind that was whirling around it. He looked as if he'd tear right through the spectral form of Naugus as he charged forward, faster and faster until fire spewed up from beneath his feet. There were emerald flames in his eyes as well as he looked straight into the eye of his enemy, not a trace of fear on his magnificent coutenance. "Just try it, Naugus! _Just try it!_" he cried furiously, his breath coming in gasps. He was remembering the pain, the pain he had felt when Sally had abandoned him . . . Desperately he tried to pin it down, to fight it, for the weakness would show and Naugus would surely see it. Inside him a raging battle was going on -- a rampant, unbridled fire was colliding with this pain in mortal combat. It refused to give in, no matter how formidable this opponent called Pain was. No doubt it was strong, stronger than anything else it had ever faced . . . With vicious claws it cut deep into its burning skin, draining the life and power out of it. With wicked fangs it seaped the flaming blood, and with brutal blows it bruised the dazzling hide black and blue. But the fire, that deathless fire of Spirit, fought back with all its splendid might. It would not fall, would not submit. _Never, never . . . _

"I don't care what you do, Naugus!" Sonic shouted. "You can take everything, you can leave us with nothing, and bring us to our knees, but will will _never _give in to you . . . _Never! _NEVER, do you hear me!"

Naugus looked for a long while into those courageous eyes before him, the very eyes he wanted to beat the life out of. Yes, how he had longed to seize every bit of spirit within him and smother it. With Sonic would die all the fight left in Mobius's people, and the sorcerer knew it. No wonder there was such a remarkable prize put on his head. He was the very soul of the planet . . . Some even believed that he _was _the mind and heart of Mobius.

Like the battle of Spirit and Pain, Naugus found Sonic as a very formidable opponent indeed. The challenge was what made it worth it -- for to conquer something so very great was only legendary. But Sonic would fall this time, he knew. There was no escape from his magic and his evil now. "You have such noble courage, Hedgehog. Don't worry . . . the last Mobians will know it and honor it when you are defeated, and then they too will meet the same terrible fate!" Suddenly he turned his attention to the entire group. "Quiver with terror, Freedom Fighters, and may you regret the day you formed this rebellion to stand against those who wish to turn Mobius into the greatest war planet of them all! For now I have the power to take it all with one fell swoop! And with that knowledge, witness now the beginning _of the end!_"

Abruptly Naugus whirled around, his black cape flicking about his ghostly image, at then he lifted his hands to the whirling portal before him, and spoke a hypnotic, and fearfully foreboding incantation:

_From the soul of Darkness where exists not light_

_Let the Emerald's power be Mobius's blight_

_Seize her spirit, and snatch her life_

_And open the doorway for the strife_

_Ensnare her great wings, and bind her fast_

_Let them know that her pride shall not last_

_O, great Emeralds, with your power of legend_

_Let the Darkness come forth and bring her end_

_Open the Void, swallower of worlds_

_And unleash the terrors to be unfurled_

_Let it swell, swell with the souls of its prey_

_Her heart to suffer, her faith to decay_

_Spread! Spread your terror and your might!_

_To Mobius bring eternal night!_

And as soon as the words were out of his mouth, the energy about the Void suddenly flared into a blinding brilliance! The Freedom Fighters cringed from the fierce light, shielding their eyes with their hands as the portal gathered itself, and then, as if unleashed from a cage it had been trapped in for centuries, it exploded into action! Swiftly it began to spread, lunging forward at the living creatures before it, the life it had been intstructed to destroy! Naugus cackled madly as his plans, all his years of regaining power and intelligence were set into motion. Sonic swept forward again to try and stop the wizard before he disappeared within the wild energy roaring about them, but it was no use. The mighty sucking gales of the Void were furiously trying to swallow him, and he was forced to retreat and get the others out. Signaling to the Freedom Fighters to mount Dulcy, he whirled around toward the safety of the Emerald Mountains, and together they fled, while the Void continued to expand, plucking the very trees from the ground in all its wrath, devouring the beautiful forest.

Hours later found the small group still traveling deeper and deeper into the mountains, afraid to stop or slow down for fear of the fast-expanding Void catching up with them. They had all been terribly startled by what they had seen, and even more terrified by what Naugus had told them. Could the Void really continue to grow until it swallowed the entire planet? It certainly looked that way, for every now and then, as the group came along a ridge in the mountains where the trees parted just long enough for them to look down on the forest below, they could see the yellow-and-violet gases of the Void stretching father and farther from its starting point in the campsite. It was beginning to travel farther toward the south and the north, but it was moving faster toward the western direction which lay directly ahead of it. Soon it would consume the entire western half of the island.

Sonic shook his head as looked down upon the dreadful sight. Never had he endured so many hardships all at once. He could still feel that inner battle raging on inside him. He knew he had to be stronger now than ever for his friends, and keep their hopes and hearts up. He was their only leader now, after all. Sighing heavily, he thought of Sally. Only heaven knew where she was now . . . Oh, why had she done it? _Why _had she left him for St. John? _Why? _They had known each other so well it seemed . . . Knew exactly what the other was thinking. They had fought so many battles side-by-side, endured so many troubles . . . It had seemed like they could have survived anything. Pain stole through the gallant leader's heart once again, and he winced, shaking his head furiously to keep it from taking over.

"_You mustn't think of her . . . _" he told himself sadly. "_You loved her so, but it's over now, there's no going back. You just have to accept it. There's no other choice. Your Freedom Fighters need you, as well as the rest of the world. You can't let them down now because of her . . . _"

Sonic closed his eyes and lowered his head, trying, fighting, to beat this horrible agony within him. He couldn't let this take him now . . . Not when the world itself was at stake. But how it hurt . . . How it constricted his throat, making it nearly impossible to breathe at times . . . How it ached in his heart, and throbbed in his chest. Such pain was maddening. Several times as he was walking along the mountain path they now followed, he pawed the ground in frustration, and inhaled the clear mountain air to relieve his pained breathing. How much longer could he take this?

Rubbing his aching head, Sonic turned and looked back at his fellow Freedom Fighters. He knew they were upset too, not just by the incident with Sally and Geoffrey St. John, but also by the fact that their planet could once again be in very grave danger. There were Hershey and Valdez, who had chosen to remain with the Freedom Fighters after their leader had committed such a unspeakable act. Such things on Mobius, after all, were frowned upon and very rare indeed. And the two troops were deeply affected by the loss of their commander, whom they had known for years. Clearly both groups were feeling betrayed.

And then there were the two girls, Natalie and Jessica. Both had been frightened and worried over the loss of Kim, and wanted nothing more than to do whatever they could to help get her back. It was because of this that the Freedom Fighters had landed and were now in search of the griffin and the mysterious black hedgehog. They knew they had traveled far north again, into the high mountains, and that was now where they were headed. But the trip would be dangerous . . . For according to Knuckles, the Emerald Mountains soon turned into the craggy, towering peaks of the very heart of the island, where the mountains reached beyond the clouds. There awaited monstrous ravines, treacherous chasms, gigantic rivers with ravenous rapids, and frequent blizzards.

Sonic could hear the Guardian and the two girls talking about their mission now, and he flicked an ear in their direction to listen quietly.

"How far do you think it'll be?" Jessica was asking.

"At least fifty miles . . ." Knuckles replied. "It'll take days to cross the mountains under normal circumstances. If we get caught in a blizzard, it'll take longer."

"Can't you sense the energy given off by Chaos Emeralds?" Natalie asked.

"Yeah," answered the Guardian. "It's an ability only guardians possess."

"But Sonic can sense them too . . ." said Jess. "And I think Shadow can as well. Don't you think it's strange that he and Kaligarr always somehow _knew _why the Chaos Emeralds were?"

Knuckles shrugged his broad shoulders. "As far as guardians go, it's all a matter of blood. It's a trait we've inherited for generations. As for Sonic and Shadow, I really don't know how they possess the ability. But it seems to me hedgehogs always somehow magically possess some kind of strange trait -- take Sonic's speed for instance. Neither his father nor mother had the gift of speed, or at least the same as he has. But he has it."

Jessica smiled slightly. "He has many things that make him different . . . Many, many wonderful things . . ."

She looked ahead at the one she loved, leading the band at a brisk but steady pace up the steep mountain trail, the first rays of dawn shining on his brilliant blue hide. Sonic had heard what she had said, but pretended not to notice. For the moment his pain had subsided, and there was that same urge again . . . The urge to be near Jess. Sonic furrowed his eyes, trying to understand why this had begun to happen all of a sudden. What did it mean?

"Well," Natalie said suddenly. "I don't care how far it is. We'll get Kim back . . . And when I find that Kaligarr again, I'll pin him down and rip his feathers out one by one!" She tossed her head and gave a defiant snort.

Knuckles smirked. "You did nail him good last time. You're not a bad fighter."

"Not bad?" Natalie asked, perking an eyebrow at him. Then, suddenly, and without warning, she reached over and shoved him, nearly knocking him off balance.

Knuckles shook his head, going cross-eyed for a moment. "What was that for?"

"Making a correction," Natalie smirked.

He caught her drift and raised his brows at her. "You mean a _challenge._"

"I guess you could call it that." came her cool reply.

Knuckles merely held his head high and confident, his blazing red contrasting sharply with the dark sky around him. "You think you could take me on?"

Jessica smiled and shook her head. She knew what was coming.

Natalie suddenly stopped and turned on him, her eyes going aflame. "Oh, _now _you've done it, Red."

"Hey, just stating a fact. There ain't no way you can match me in combat."

"I'd bet the Master Emerald I _could._"

"I'll take that bet."

For a second the two stood in a face-off, their eyes blazing as they looked directly at each other, sizing each other up. And then they both charged each other, both determined to prove to the other which was truly stronger. They locked, and almost immediately Knuckles had managed to gain the upper hand, grabbing Natalie by the arm and wrestling her to the ground with startling strength. But it didn't last for long. With her own amazing strength she broke free and wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him down in a headlock. There was a hint of surprise in the Guardian's eyes, but he was far from fazed.

"Not bad," he grinned. "But not good either!" Abruptly he heaved upward and with a simple jerk sideways he threw her to the ground. "Give it up."

Natalie was on her feet in a matter of seconds. "Never!" She rushed at him headlong, this time throwing a playful punch at his chest.

Knuckles jumped aside to dodge. "Heh, too slow!" He gloated. And that was his mistake. Catching him off guard, Natalie turned and caught him on the nose.

"Ow!"

Sonic, along with many of the other Freedom Fighters had turned now to watch, quite amazed at what they were seeing. There were few creatures on Mobius that could match Knuckles in battle, for he was well known for his strength and power. Natalie merely grinned at him, standing with her arms crossed. The others looked to Knuckles to see what he would do.

They stood rigid for a moment, and then Knuckles plunged forward, this time leaping into the air and gliding straight over her head. The ability to glide on wind currents through the air was another trait of guardians.

Natalie chased after him, and managed to catch up with him when he landed, but he rounded upon her and with a powerful hit sent her to the ground.

"Y'all aughta stop before someone gets hurt," said Bunnie.

"We won't hurt anyone -- just play-fighting!" Natalie replied, and lunged at Knuckles again.

This mock-fight between the two of them went on for nearly half an hour, going through the same processes. Whenever it looked as if one of them had gained an advantage in the fight, the other would suddenly spring forward and win back their lead by showing an awesome demonstration of power and wit. It seemed to the watching Freedom Fighters that the two would only tire each other out the way they were going. Sooner or later one would have to give in -- either that or put the play-fight on hold until they had regained their strength.

At last, minutes later, the two combatants squared off, both in a dead pant, their scores still matched.

"Give up?" Knuckles panted.

Natalie wiped the sweat from her forehead. "No . . ."

Uncle Chuck chuckled. "Let's call it a draw, guys, you're both too worn out to fight any longer anyways. It's obvious you're well-matched."

"I still think I could beat her," Knuckles insisted.

"Could not." said Natalie.

"Could to."

"Could not."

Jessica snickered as they started off again. "Looks like you two are hitting it off real well." she whispered to Nat.

"Literally." her friend grinned.

"At least some people are getting along . . . There's been so many fights lately, so many toils." She looked up sadly at Sonic, who had turned back to watching the land below to keep a watchful eye on the Void. She could only imagine how alone he felt . . . How much pain he was suffering . . .

Natalie followed her gaze and then said, "You know, Jess. Maybe this whole fight between Sonic and Sally is a _good _thing."

Jessica turned to her. "What do you mean?"

"Well, the way I see it, Sally's not in your way anymore. I know Sonic's probably gonna want to be on his own for a long time before he'd ever accept anyone else, but isn't there someone we all know that loves Sonic more than anything?" She quirked her eyebrows and smiled slightly.

Jessica suddenly felt a chill run down her back, and her eyes widened. Remarkably she hadn't even thought of that . . . But it was true. Secretly, she had always felt deeply jealous of Sally's relationship with Sonic. Sometimes it had been all she could do just to restrain the urge to compete with Sally, to prove to Sonic that she could be far more caring and compassionate than the princess ever could. But since these feelings seemed rather selfish to her, she had always repressed them, and painfully accepted the fact that she and Sonic would never be able to love each other. Suddenly there was a flutter in her heart that made her tremble. Could she really have a chance now, that there was no longer any competition? Now that Sally wasn't there to stop her, could Sonic see that she loved him more?

The girl suddenly slapped herself mentally for thinking such things. No . . . It just couldn't happen. It was too good to ever be true. For all she knew, Sonic still loved Sally very much, and that's why, perhaps, that he was taking her loss so hard.

"I'd like to believe that, Nat," she answered lowly, eyes fixed on the ground. "But it'd never happen . . ."

"What makes you so sure?" Natalie asked.

"Because--I don't know . . . Because he's so perfect, so wonderful . . . And I'm just--_me._"

"Don't you think that's why he would love you above anything else? Because of who you are?"

"Well . . . " she sighed. "I'm just not deserving of someone as great as him, Nat. I'd never be able to take Sally's place. She was brave, strong-willed, smart. I'm nothing but weak and cautious."

"Who says?"

" . . . I do."

"Well, if you don't know for a fact that _he _thinks that, then I wouldn't be too sure. You're not weak, Jessie. You and Sonic have been pals forever. Even _before _we met him in person. There's always been something between you two, some kind of weird connection. Good grief, you two were _made _for each other."

"Heh . . ." was all Jessica said.

"I wouldn't give up without a fight, Jess. It's worth a try, I know that much. It may sound kinda selfish, but you love him too much to ever walk away or live without him. And right now he needs someone there for him more than ever. There may never be another opportunity like this again, Jess. It's now or _never._"

Never . . . That word had been repeated so many times in Jessica's mind, and it became more and more painful each time. It was always there, like a stinging wound, to remind her that she and Sonic would just never be together, never share the same feelings for one another. Oh, how she wanted to fight it! How she wanted to alleviate that pain of knowing that it would only be forever until she could hold him at last. But never in her wildest dreams had she ever even considered the possibility of having all obstacles, all competition for him suddenly eliminated.

Shakily she looked up again at Sonic. Ahead the sun was just beginning to rise above the eastern peaks, casting a flaming gold upon his long, cerulean quills. The colors blended beautifully, seeming to bring his skin alive with a fiery radiance. The air itself seemed to tremble with his greatness. The girl shook her head slowly. She could never be worthy of him . . .

Suddenly she felt Natalie's hand on her shoulder.

"Trust me, Jess. Why not give it a shot? It may be hard, or it may be a lot easier than we both think. It all depends on how much you want him, need him."

Jessica swallowed hard. Oh, she wanted him all right . . . Wanted him desparately . . . _Needed _him. Never could she feel the same liberation of her problems, the same exhilaration without Sonic. Never could she look into anyone else's eyes, and see the same dazzling fire, the same thirst for adventure and the same undying spirit. He was her only true mate in life, the one and only she wanted to share her life with. Anyone else she just scoffed at. Any other soul that even had the gall to compete with Sonic's greatness, to attempt to match his flawless attitude and remarkable courage, she considered a fool. _No one _could ever be better than he, _no one. _He was one in a billion, one of a kind, and Jessica would never see a soul more mind-bendingly incredible than his.

Jessica sighed and closed her eyes. Should she even dare to think that she may have a chance of winning him? She remembered that star-studded night when the two had raced side-by-side through the great valley nestled within the Emerald Mountains, and how she had pictured his heart as those many gleaming stars above . . . How trying to catch it would be as impossible as trying to catch a star. Why, his heart _was _a star. It was great and golden, burning with a power, a fire, and a brilliance that one could scarcely comprehend. And like a star, it seemed so hopelessly far away, so desperately out of reach . . . How could she ever hope of reaching it?

Suddenly, and as always, without even a thought, she moved toward Sonic, toward the one she thought so far away . . .

Natalie watched her, smiling knowingly. It was going to happen. It was destiny.

Somehow, without even looking back, Sonic could sense her approach, and he turned his head toward her happily, a sensation of total relief and reassurance stealing through him as she came up alongside him. "Hey, Jess."

"Hey, fella." she smiled. "How ya been doing?"

"All right . . . " he replied. "Still been hurting a little . . ."

"I wish with all my heart that I could help you." Jessica said sadly.

Sonic nearly laughed. Little did she know just how much she was helping him in being by his side . . .

Jessica gazed up at the brightening skies ahead, turning from a sullen gray to a wild, radiant golden-blue. "Don't worry, Blue . . . It may seem, sometimes, that we were meant to walk this world alone . . . That we weren't meant to be loved, to be needed . . . That everyone's abandoned us, and that there's no hope at ever finding a soul that'll stay with you, no matter what. But it isn't true . . ." she paused as tears came to her eyes. "We're _never _truly alone . . . Never. There's _always _someone out there who'll love us, who'll need us . . . We may not know it at first, but they're _there. _And no distance, be it through miles, years, or even lifetimes, can keep them from us." She sniffled and rubbed her eyes. "Because love can withstand every barrier, every test, every distance, to reach the one it seeks."

Sonic saw the tears in her eyes, and patted her shoulder gently. Her words had moved him as well, for he had felt that ever since Sally had left him that he could never love anyone else again. But that doubt was rapidly diminishing. For this girl beside him never failed to be there in his shadow, there to soothe his pain, there to ease his fury, and there to give his heart wings. Sally had been there for him, but never like Jessica had for him. She made it an extra effort, a painstaking effort, to be there whenever he needed her, no matter what. Suddenly he wondered if it could ever be possible . . . to forget his past, and allow the girl that eased his bitter pain into his empty heart.

He sighed and shook his head for thinking of such things . . . It could never be. Despite the fact that he knew Jessica cared for him, loved him, needed him, it just couldn't ever work. They were of different worlds, separated by thousands upon thousands if not more light years from one another. Even if they were together now, there was still that haunting possibility that Jessica and her friends would eventually have to return to Earth one day. And then what would he do? He'd be alone again, perhaps suffering more pain that he was now . . . No. As bad as he was beginning to want to, he couldn't be with Jessica . . . He would hurt far too much to ever lose her.

The two walked on, side-by-side, moving as one, and thinking as one, trying futily to suppress those growing desires to love one another openly. Little did they realize just how much they needed each other and that they were thinking the exact same things deep in their hearts . . .


	10. Chapter 10 Sanctuary

**.:Chapter 10:.**

**Sanctuary**

"Where am I? Why'd you bring me here!" Kimberly looked frantically around the eerie surroundings she had suddenly found herself in. Everywhere, beyond the eye could see, was ice. Great mountains of ice towering high above, with sharp icicles, some reaching seven to nearly twenty feet long, hanging down from the cliffs like shimmering teeth. Strangely beautiful formations in the ice shelves and glaciers made it look as if great white statues were looming high above her. Here, a mountain crested by a flat slab of ice resembled a ghostly white dragon crouching within the shadows. There, a cave mouth with several glittering ice crystals turned into a demon with its lips curled back hungrily, hiding in the mountains and preparing to spring.

Surrounding these mystifying shapes of ice were strange, swirling clouds of dark blue, violet and silvery gases that constantly moved about the world of ice and snow at a slow, almost hypnotic pace.

Then came that sinister, wheezing voice of Naugus, "Welcome, my dear, to Sanctuary."

Kimberly whirled around to see the wizard's spectral form, accompanied by her abductors, Kaligarr and Shadow. All glared down at her with critical, almost expectant eyes.

She mirrored their glares. "What do you want with me?"

"Want, Kimberly?" Naugus inquired. "Why, I think you know. Ever since you heard of Uncle Chuck's discovery of the power of Chaos Control, and perhaps even before that, you've known."

"What do you mean?"

"Mobius, dear girl," came Naugus's reply. "Tell me, do you see Mobius with the same eyes are your friends? Do you see it as a wondrous world where dreams become reality, and anything is possible? Or do you simply see it as a very vidid figment of the imagination, only visible to you and the other girls through a dreamlike trance?"

Kimberly glared deeply at him, but remained silent.

"There's no use in lying, Kimberly," Naugus smirked. "My accomplices and I can probe every inch of your mind. We'll know if you tell the truth or not."

"Then why do you need my answer?" She asked coldly.

"Oh, we don't, really," said Naugus, shrugging his shoulders. "It was just curious as to whether you'd admit it openly."

She looked hard at him. "What does it matter what I think of Mobius? I think it's a wonderful world full of amazing characters . . . But I also miss Earth and the things we've left behind there. Since I have no real ties to Mobius, I wouldn't think too much about going back one day . . . I mean, I wouldn't force Natalie or Jessica to go back ever . . . I just miss Earth too."

Naugus nodded his head and smirked cunningly. "You'll prove very useful to my plans, dear girl. Very useful indeed."

"I'm not your dear anything," Kimberly hissed. "You won't get away with this. My friends will come for me. I trust them. I have faith in them."

The wizard chuckled. "Not for long, you won't. When I'm through with you, they won't even recognize you." There was a strange glint in his eye as he said this.

"And what is it you plan to do with me?"

"Oh, many things," he replied, turning to a block of ice behind him and waving his hand across it. Suddenly a transparent image played across the ice, and Kimberly gasped. There, before her, she saw her friends, the Freedom Fighters, traveling up the side of the mountain. "For the time being, I'll simply use you as bait to lure them into my net. And then, the real work begins."

"Lure them?" Kimberly asked. "What are you going to do with them?"  
"Make sure they don't disrupt my plans, of course," answered Naugus.

"But they're heading _away _from the Void," said Kimberly, studying the images before her. She could clearly see the Emerald Mountains, and the northerly direction her friends were taking. She well remembered that the forest they had camped in was to the south.

"Oh, that is of little importance now," Naugus grinned. "The Void will stretch be at the edges of the island before dusk. They'll eventually fall victim to it's power. And when they do, they'll come looking for you."

"You won't be able to defeat the Freedom Fighters," Kimberly growled, glaring at him. "I don't know what you'll try and do, but you can't beat them."

"Well the rest of the Freedom Fighters I could care less for," said Naugus. "It's your two human friends that I require the most."

A cold tremor swept down the girl's spine. "_What?_"

When Ixis Naugus spoke, it was more to himself than to Kimberly. "One for the power of life and energy, one for darkness and cunning, and one for power and destruction . . . Yes . . . And when I have combined them with the power of the Chaos Emeralds--Yes, this plan is truly flawless . . ." Suddenly he turned to Kaligarr and Shadow who stood motionless nearby, awaiting any further commands. "You may rest now. My energy is spent for the time being, but once I regain some of my magic we shall hunt for the seventh emerald."

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Kaligarr abruptly let out a huge breath, and abruptly began to pant heavily, his limbs trembling beneath him. "Yes . . . Sir . . . " he gasped weakly. " . . . And the girl?"  
"Keep an eye on her," replied his master, walking off into the icy terrain. "I shall know if our guests arrive."

Kaligarr nodded, and then turned to Shadow, who was shaking his head vigorously. "Watch the girl, Shadow," he called. "I'll rest for a while."

Shadow nodded, though there was a bewildered look in his eye. Kimberly noticed this immediately and turned to him.

"You seem a little confused . . ." she said.

Shadow gazed up at her. "I have chronic mental blockouts every now and then . . . Memory loss sometimes. But that's probably for the best. You, human, have a great deal of courage to face the Ultimate Life Form like that."

"Mental blockouts?" Kimberly asked. "What do you mean?"

"Spells where my mind temporarily blacks out. Sometimes it lasts for hours . . . Even days. But I'm used to such symptoms." A sad, distant look entered his eyes.

Kimberly blinked. "Why so melancholy?"

Shadow glanced at her from the corner of his eye, but said nothing for a long while.

Kimberly tried to remember what she knew of Shadow back on Earth. " . . . Maria?" she ventured.

The dark hedgehog looked up instantly. "How do you know--? . . . You-You knew of things about me before, too. Back in the camp. How is it you know these things?"

"Well, it's a long story. And a complicated one. But me and my friends are from a planet called Earth. There, you and this whole entire universe is a work of fiction to us. Or so we thought . . . till by the work of the Chaos Emeralds, we became stranded here by a warp in time and space."

Shadow's eyes furrowed curiously. "Chaos Control . . . But that's a power that only I possess . . . How is it it was activated?"

"Someone named Dr. Robotnik modified the balance of power in the emeralds, giving them a negative charge. When he did this, it caused their power to create strange occurances. Now according to the other Freedom Fighters, Chaos Control created a link between Earth and Mobius."

"Ah," replied Shadow. "So the whole thing was completely coincidental . . . "

"Yeah. They say that the possibility of such a thing happening again is a million to one."

"They're right," Shadow nodded slowly. "For unless you have completely mastered the ability, it works of its own mind. But, about what you said before, you and every human knows of this universe?"

"Just about," answered Kim. "I know a lot about you. I know that you were created on the space colony, ARK. Robotnik's grandfather, Professor Gerald Robotnik, was the one who created you, and his granddaughter Maria was your best friend."

Shadow nodded again, his eyes fixed on the ground dismally. "She was . . . She was my dearest friend, my _only _friend . . . She was a dreamer, Maria. And as kind as anyone could ever be. I learned . . . so much from her."

Kimberly lowered her gaze as well, well aware of the pain Shadow was feeling. "What exactly . . . was it that happened to her, Shadow?"

The black hedgehog swallowed hard and clamped his eyes shut, and then, painfully, began his story. "Suppsedly, the government had learned that the ARK contained weapons of mass destruction. This was true, for Professor Gerald possessed a weapon that was capable of destroying an entire planet. But he was a good scientist, who wanted to help people more than destroy them. But . . . the thing is, the military was not willing to take the chance. They attacked the ARK without warning, and took everyone on board prisoner . . . The professor, Maria and I tried to escape . . . But Professor Gerald was captured. Maria, now, was able to get me into one of the escape capsules . . . But just-just when she was about to activate it, a soldier appeared in the doorway . . . . " He paused, his eyes narrowing and blazing with fury as he relived those tragic moments. Kimberly watched him, waiting, a deep sympathy stealing through her as she saw the apparent agony and sadness within his crimson eyes. "Maria was only trying to save me . . . The soldier thought she was freeing one of the dangerous weapons on the ARK, so he lifted his gun. She should have listened to him . . . Should have just done what he said. It wouldn't have mattered if they had captured us . . . At least she'd still be here with me. But Maria--though frail, having suffered a terrible illness for much of her life, was strong at heart. She-She'd never betray a friend. Never. . . . And so, she pulled that lever, and at the same time the soldier pulled the trigger. I will _never _feel anything more painful, more staggering that her loss . . . What a sickening pain it is to have someone, and then watch them die right before your very eyes . . . I fought to reach her, but the capsule was launched. Just before leaving the ARK, I heard Maria speak these last words: '_Shadow, I beg of you . . . For all people, who live on that planet, give them a chance to be happy . . . Let them live for their dreams . . . I know you can do it. That's the reason you were brought into this world . . . Sayanora, Shadow, the Hedgehog._'"

Shadow finally had to lower his head, fighting back the tears that threatened to come. Kimberly was quite astonished by what she had heard and what she was seeing . . . This dark, intimidating hedgehog, who seemed so cold and heartless and evil, was weeping over a dear friend he had lost. Not so long ago he had been standing before her, menacing and powerful, demanding that the Freedom Fighters divide and surrender to Kaligarr and himself. It hadn't seemed that Shadow was even capable of feeling or loving then . . . He wasn't quite like the griffin and his master.

"I'm . . . I'm so sorry . . . " she said quietly. "That's horrible . . . "

Shadow stared off into the mist with glazed, almost lifeless eyes. "Maria was my best friend . . . The only one I've ever had . . . Oh, how I miss her . . . "

Kimberly looked at him for a long while, at the tears glistening in his eyes, the trembling in his sides . . . It was obvious he wasn't lying, that he wasn't just making this story up to gain her trust. And more than anything, it was clear just how much Shadow was suffering on the inside.

She placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm so very sorry, Shadow . . . You know, you're not like Kaligarr or Naugus. You're basically good on the inside . . . Why is it you're working on their side?"

Shadow looked around cautiously, to make sure there were no listening ears. Far away Kaligarr was curled up inside an ice cavern, sleeping quietly. Naugus was probably unlikely to hear him as well. "Naugus tells me that, once he's combined the power of the Chaos Emeralds and his own skill with the magical power of Sanctuary, that he will be able to do _anything_ . . . And he promised that, if I helped him, that he'd bring Maria back."

Kimberly's eyes grew grave. "Shadow, I understand that . . . that Naugus has magic that can do almost anything--transforming himself into any form he wishes, altering time and space, and even destroying the universe with one snap of a finger . . . But _no _spell can awaken the dead . . . "

Shadow looked up at her with pained, incredulous eyes. "You're wrong! . . . I know the Chaos Emeralds . . . They possess unlimited powers beyond your wildest dreams! And Naugus . . . why, I've witnessed with my own eyes what magic he possesses. He can pinpoint the location of a Chaos Emerald with his thoughts alone, and can even harness the elements themselves. Here in Sanctuary, he can control ice and snow, fashioning them into any formation . . . He's controlled fire and wind and water as well . . . Maybe the ordinary wizard cannot revive the dead, but with the power of the emeralds, Naugus _can._"

The girl turned away, shaking her head slowly. She doubted very seriously that such a feat could be accomplished. It was just too great to ask for. She knew from her last adventure, that Chaos Emeralds, when their strongest energy was summoned, could reverse death -- but that was only to those who had been killed recently. It would be as if one could hold the process of life in their hand . . . No one could harness life. From what she had experienced, everyone who ever tried failed miserably. Life was its own master.

"Well . . . I don't know what to tell you, Shadow. Maybe Naugus _can _do it . . . My friends and I have faced Naugus in battle before. I'm well aware of his magical ability. But it still seems rather inconceivable."

"Sometimes the impossible _can _be done," Shadow answered shakily, his eyes now burning with determination and hope. "All one has to do is believe . . . I believe in Maria, and that should be enough to bring her back to me . . . "

He turned his eyes back on the icy ground once again, still shaking. Whether it was from the cold or the emotional grief inside, Kimberly wasn't sure. But she had to admire how Shadow had loved Maria. In fact, he hardly even seemed so evil and heartless now.

Suddenly Kim looked back at Shadow, her eyes seeming to search his. "Shadow . . . Why don't you let me go? You're not evil like Naugus and Kaligarr . . . Maria wanted you to help people, not enslave them . . . The Freedom Fighters and I can help you more than Naugus ever could. _Please, _Shadow . . ."

Shadow hesitated for a moment, as if pondering her words. For a fleeting second a hint of concern appeared in those mysterious red orbs. But it was soon smothered by that same old expressionless glare. "Can the Freedom Fighters bring back Maria? Who are you to tell me that Naugus can't help me . . . "

There was disappointment in Kimberly's eyes. Perhaps she was wrong . . . Perhaps Shadow had no more concern for others left within his heart.

Shadow tried his best to hold her gaze, to show that he meant it. But something caused him to turn away. "I'm sorry . . . But I have my orders." Slowly he started to walk off, never once looking back. When he spoke again, there was something very regretful in his voice. ". . . I can assure you Naugus won't harm you and your friends as long as they do as he says. That he promised . . . But for now, you must stay here. There's nothing I can do." And with that he disappeared.

Kim sighed and sat down against a glistening crystal of ice, rubbing her hands together to stay warm. The temperature in the Void had seemed to drop suddenly. She could feel her fingers going numb. The only thing that wasn't slowing from the growing cold was her mind . . . Many thoughts were running through her head now. Just who was Shadow? Was he a cruel, indifferent soul who could care less what other people felt? Or was there still hope for him? Was there still some good left in him?

As she sat there and wondered about these things, she suddenly fancied she was being watched. She looked up . . . _and there, before her, gazing through the swirling vapors, was a pair of golden eyes looking right at her . . . _

"Jess . . . Jessie, wake up." Natalie knelt down beside her friend and nudged her from her sleep.

"Nat . . .?" Jessica asked sleepily. "Wh-what is it?"

"Look," she waited till Jessica sat upright, and then pointed straight ahead. Jessica gasped at what she saw.

All around them, as far as they eye could see, was a vast expanse of ice . . . Everything--the forests, the mountains, the rocks, the rivers--was frozen! Nothing looked the same as they had seen it last night. Last night they had stopped on a great ledge that overlooked the valleys below. Everything had been so green and majestic as they had when they first arrived . . . But now, now it was a frozen wasteland! And even more alarming than this drastic transformation was the sky . . . There was no endless ocean of blue, no sun, no clouds . . . Nothing but a slowly-revolving vortex of dark violet, silver and blue mists.

"Oh my gosh!" Jessica gasped again. ". . . _The Void!_"

"It must have caught up with us overnight," said Natalie gravely. "It was like this when I woke up . . . I thought it got awfully cold during the night."

"But how--?" Jessica looked around in disbelief. "How did it catch up? We left it so far behind!"

"It could have sped up . . . Maybe Naugus even found us and trapped us. I was afraid something like this could happen."

Jessica jumped to her feet, shaking off the powdery quilt of snow that had formed on her shoulders and back. "We have to wake the others! This is bad . . . Very bad!"

All of a sudden a familiar voice broke the dead silence around them. "It's bad all right . . . We're trapped."

The two girls turned to see Sonic emerging from the mists, his eyes narrowed angrily. Behind him followed Knuckles.

"That was a dirty trick," said Knuckles. "He must have waited until we stopped and then relocated it."

"Can he do that?" Jessica asked.

"Oh yeah he can," Sonic replied. "Didn't think he had the power to, but obviously he does . . ."

"What do we do?" Natalie inquired. "Is there anyway to escape?"

Sonic sighed and shook his head. "Well, there is, using my speed . . . But I'd have to get everyone out that way. That'd be slow and risky . . . "

Suddenly Jessica jumped. "What was that?"

"What?" Sonic asked.

"I thought I saw something . . . In that hollow over there." The others followed her gestures to a deep hollow set in the center of a glade, not more than a hundred yards off.

Indeed, there seemed to be some kind of light emitting from the area . . . It flickered every now and then, and, as the small group watched, it slowly changed colors. At first it was light blue, then it faded into a dark violet, and then, into a deep, crimson red. It repeated this pattern over and over, and, all of a sudden, Jessica and Natalie found themselves walking toward the hollow. The strangest sensation had suddenly come over them . . . As if they were near something so great, so wondrous, that their minds were filled with a trembling anticipation. It felt as though they had finally found something they had been searching for, longing for, _fighting _for, for ages and ages. This remarkable feeling of finding the most cherished of teasures, the most longed-for prize entranced the two of them, and they couldn't help themselves. Something inside that hollow was calling to them, _waiting _for them . . .

"Be careful, girls," Sonic called, he and Knuckles following closely behind. They too could feel a mysterious sensation steal through them, that same feeling of locating what they had always wished for the most.

Slowly they made their way toward the very edge of the hollow, cautiously peering around one of the frozen oak trees. There, inside the hollow, they could see the three lights, suspended in midair about five feet from the ground, caught in a small cloud of bluish-violet mist.

". . . What is it?" Knuckles asked.

"You got me . . ." Replied Sonic, never once taking his eyes off the strange lights. "Maybe it's just something created by the gases . . ."

Suddenly Natalie and Jessica started forward again, walking down the slope and directly toward the three mysterious lights. Sonic and Knuckles followed once more, both very alert for danger. Under the circumstances, they both would have thought that this was strange and suspicious, that the lights might be some kind of trap . . . But there was no hint of danger in the air. Only that urge to go closer to those lights.

They were within less that six feet of the peculiar auras now. It was here that they stopped, gazing curiously at the three glows. For a second, it seemed as if nothing would happen, that the illuminations were merely reactions caused by two different types of gases in the Void. But then . . . Suddenly . . . something incredible happened . . .

"Well! It's about time you guys showed up!" called a voice from above.

The four of them started when they saw two eyes gazing at them from the blue glow. The eyes were either deep green or hazel -- it was hard to tell from the mists that surrounded them. The group tried to make out a face in the cloud, but only the eyes were visible. . . and they looked down upon them expectantly.

"We've been waiting for quite some time, y'know," the voice spoke again, not unkindly. "For the love of Mobius, what took you so long?"

"Who are you?" Sonic asked.

All of a sudden another voice broke in. "They don't know who we are!" it laughed. Everyone turned and found another pair of eyes in the dark violet cloud appear, these a glistening gold. They were a little more hard, a little more stern than the green-blue eyes, but still kind . . . and very much amused.

And then a third pair of eyes came in the red cloud. These eyes were pure red and narrowed, bold, daring, and fearless. "Don't know who we are! I'll show 'em who we are! Run out there and knock some recognition into their heads!"

"Oh no you don't!" said the golden eyes. "We're not supposed to reveal our identities! Not yet!"

The green-blue eyes chuckled.

"Well, why not?" asked the red eyes in exasperation. "We've been waiting _forever! _Now here they are! At last!"

"Um, excuse me," said Jessica suddenly. "Do you guys say you've been. . . waiting for us?"

The holder of the green-blue eyes looked down at Jessica with almost a tender expression. "Oh yes . . . For ages, it seems."

"And by that she means nearly twenty years . . . " muttered the red eyes.

Natalie snickered. She liked the one with the red eyes -- whoever she was -- already.

"Quiet!" the golden eyes scalded to the red again. "You're revealing too much again!"

"Well, it's true. And I'm impatient. And I need action! Otherwise I go loco!"

"And you're not already?" the blue-green eyes teased, and although there was no face, it was obvious that she was smiling.

"Ha ha . . . " grumbled the Red. "Look who's talking. You've been running in circles waiting for these three."

"I know, I know," the Blue-Green turned back to the onlookers below. "I just can't believe they're finally here!"

"Here for what?" Natalie asked. "Who are you guys?"

"More like _what _are they?" said Knuckles.

The Gold chuckled quietly. "Ah. They have much to learn yet. We are, well, shall we say, sort of like guardian spirits?"

"Guardian spirits?" asked Jessica.

"Not to be confused with the Guardian of the Floating Island." the Red snickered.

"Hey!" barked Knuckles.

Natalie laughed.

Jessica smiled, and then asked, "But what is it you're guardians of? The whole planet?"

"Oh no, no, no," replied the Blue-Green. "We're _your _guardians. That is, of you and your friends Natalie and Kimberly."

"I have a guardian?" Natalie blinked.

"Yeah. Knuckles." the Red rolled her eyes playfully.

Everyone else laughed again and Knuckles and Nat just glared. "Funny."

Jess looked up at the Blue-Green. "So you're my guardian spirit?"

"Well, in a way," she replied. "It's kind of a complicated matter."

"So which one of you is my 'guardian'?" Natalie asked.

"That'd be me!" the Red seemed to step forward in the cloud of crimson mist. "Nice to see you've finally arrived. Nearly _twenty _years, kid! Do you know what kind of torture that is!" A crazed look came into her eyes, but the whole thing was more comical than irritated.

"I can only imagine," said Natalie. "So what's your name?"

"That I can't tell you . . . " the Red replied.

"Why?"

"Uh . . . " she glanced over at the Gold and said under her breath, "Little help here . . ."

The Gold smirked. "Why need my help? You're always so sure of yourself. Why don't _you _explain?"

"Very funny Miss Psycho." growled the Red.

"It's _psychic_, get it right." the Gold corrected.

"A psychic psycho. There ya go."

"Why can't you guys reveal your names?" Sonic spoke up, tilting his head. Something almost seemed familiar about those eyes, especially the blue-green ones.

"Like I said," explained the Blue-Green. "It's a complicated matter . . . We're not supposed to reveal our names and identities to you _yet. _But someday we will. Now, there is a more important task at hand."

"Task?" Jessica asked. "What do you mean?"

Her guardian spirit gazed down at her, a strange glitter in her eyes. "Tell me something, Jessica. Have you ever had a dream? A dream that someday you just _knew _in the pit of your heart would come true, someday, somewhere . . . "

Jessica's heart thudded. Yes, she knew very well what it was like to have such a dream. "I have . . . A dream I've longed for and believed in for almost all my life . . . "

"Well," the Blue-Green smiled, she and the other two spirits looking at one another. "What if we were to say that those dreams you've had, you and your friends, could come true right here, right now?"

Natalie and Jessica stared up at them incredulously. "_What?_"

"That's right," beamed the Red. "One snap of a finger, and _poof! _Your greatest dream has come true, baby. I love the power of Sanctuary."

Jessica looked up at them, trembling. "You mean to tell me that you can grant my deepest wish through the magic of Sanctuary?"

"That's right," the Blue-Green nodded. "But mind you, it can only be _one _wish per person, and it has to be the number one thing you want. And above everything else, you must _believe _in it. Believe in it with all your heart. Can you do that?"

Jessica and Natalie could hardly believe what they were hearing. Could these three mysterious spirits really grant their wishes? Naugus _had _said that in Sanctuary, _anything _is possible . . . hence it's name. Already both of them knew exactly what they wanted the most, and by the power of the Chaos Emeralds, they were ready to take it!

"I'll do absolutely anything, if you can make my dream come true . . . " Jessica said shakily, tears forming in her eyes.

"And so will I," added Natalie. "What do we have to do?"

The three spirits again looked to each other, and then nodded solemnly. At last, after all their years of waiting, it was time.

"Close your eyes," whispered the Gold softly, and the girls responded immediately. "Find that one dream, that one wish you've always longed for, and lose yourselves within it . . . Forget reality. Forget that voice that tells you it's impossible, that it'll never happen. Tune it out."

The girls did as they were told, bringing that dream to their minds eye and making it as vivid as possible. Then they fought that voice that for had so long reminded them that their wishes were too far out of reach, that they were sure to never happen. It was difficult, but little by little, they forced it back, and locked it away . . .

"That's it . . . " said the Gold quietly, her eyes closed. "Now, girls, I need you to _believe _that your dreams are real. Believe, with everything in your heart and soul, with every little bit of hope you have. Forget what you are, and focus on what you wish to become. Reach out and grasp it! Don't let it go . . . For it will fly away quickly. Take it, and hold on to it as if your lives depend on it."

Sonic and Knuckles could only watch in astonishment as a mist slowly began to surround the two girls as they clamped their eyes shut, believing that this could work, that their dreams were finally within reach. Like a wild, rampant horse their dreams ran, fighting in defiance. But they chased relentlessly, determined to catch it and harness its magic. The horse was fast, running on winged hooves, its great strides carrying it far across the colorful realm of the imagination. But now a new ambition drove its pursuers forward, and furiously they ran, they _fought! _At last they seemed to have caught the runaway horse, and leapt onto its mighty back. Wildly it sprung into the air, twisting this way and that, tossing its heels into the air! Then, flames spouting from its nostrils, it bolted forward with a enormous surge of speed, taking its riders on a whirlwind flight. Desperately they hung on, for they had it! Right there! Right there in front of them! At last they had captured it! Now all they had to do was become _one _with this magical horse of dreams. . . On and on into forever it seemed to run, thunder rolling from its flashing hooves, its mane whipping the wind, the force nearly knocking the girls off. But they held on for dear life, as the Gold had instructed. They held on and held on . . . Until, suddenly, something happened. The effort to throw the girls off gradually ceased, and the fire of hatred in the horse's eyes subsided. Instead of fighting one another, they ran as one, _and it was here it began! _

The mist surrounded Natalie and Jessica abruptly swirled upward, whirling about them faster and faster! For a second they disappeared completely, and Sonic and Knuckles grew uneasy. And then suddenly there was a blinding flash of white light so intense it nearly eliminated every shadow in the vicinity. Then, slowly, the light and the mists dissipated . . . and when Sonic and Knuckles looked up, they were astonished by what they saw!

There before them, stood no longer Jessica and Natalie, but two very different creatures! _Mobian creatures! _Sonic and Knuckles blinked in amazement. Where Jessica had stood previously was now a blue hedgehog, much lighter blue than Sonic, in more of a sky blue shade. She had long light-blue bangs that fell over her eyes, and a set of beautiful quills that were very similar to Sonic's, except slightly shorter. She was clothed in a brilliant blue vest and light-blue shoes that had a dark stripe laying across the tops. And, most unique of all, was the cerulean heart-shaped marking on her belly.

And where Natalie had been now stood a powerful-looking black-and-red echidna. She too was an unusual sight for a Mobian, for not many echidnas were black. Her muzzle, too, was an oddity, for it was crimson red rather than the usual golden-tan. Pure, pitch black creeped across her eyebrows and down the fronts of her long quills, or "dreadlocks" as the echidnas like to call them, that hung down from her head like a mane. They were similar to Knuckles', though much longer, nearly touching the ground. Her forehead was red too, except for the dark, jagged marking on the very top of her head. The rest of her body was pretty much black, except for the small red stripes along her back, legs and arms, and the collar marking on her chest that almost appear to have two fangs at the bottom. Her tail too was abnormally long, taking the shape of a giant hook with a small red patch at the base. So they were both like nothing Sonic and Knuckles had seen, even on Mobius!

The two looked at each other, and then slowly stepped forward.

"Jess?" Sonic asked, his ears cocked forward.

Jessica blinked slowly, and then, gasping, she looked at her gloved hands. Her heart pounding, she turned to the many icicles hanging from a nearby tree, and her jaw dropped in astoundment at her reflection! "Oh my gosh--I-I'm a hedgehog!"

"Ah, cool!" Natalie exclaimed, looking at her reflection too. "Not cool! Kickin'! I'm an echidna! Hey, that means I can beat up Knuckles better!" She turned on Knuckles and grinned mischeviously, her sharp fangs showing.

"What?" Knuckles asked nervously, but before he could say anything else Natalie threw forward only a minor punch and sent him flying. Sonic's eyes widened as the Guardian flew past him and hit the ground hard.

"Ow . . . " grunted Knuckles, sprawled out on the snow.

Natalie stood with her huge fist still thrown forward, here eyes wide with astonishment. ". . . Cool . . . "

"Whaddya mean cool?" Knuckles asked, hauling himself up from the ground. "That hurt!"

Meanwhile Jessica suddenly cried out joyously. "I'm a hedgehog! Just like I've always dreamed! Look at me Nat! Woo!"

Sonic laughed as she ran around rapturously. "Wow, Jess . . . You look cool."

Jessica ran up and hugged him in her excitement, and his cheeks suddenly flushed red. "I'm a hedgehog like you! _Finally! _I've always dreamt about this! This is incredible! Hey, thanks--" she turned to thank the three guardian spirits, but they were suddenly nowhere to be seen.

Sonic and Jessica blinked.

"Where'd they go?" Jess asked.

"I dunno," shrugged Nat. "But who cares? I'm an echidna!" She tossed her head proudly and crossed her arms. "From now on, you will all refer to me as Trau!"

"Trau?" Knuckles asked.

"Do you like it?" she smiled. "It means 'dare'. What better name could there be?"

Jessica grinned, hardly believing what she was seeing. "This-this is awesome! If you're Trau . . . Then I'm Cyan!"

"Cyan?" inquired Sonic.

"They're the names of two fan characters we created years ago," Jessica explained. "They were Mobian versions of us! The spirits have transformed us into them, because we basically are them! Natalie's character was Trau, and mine was Cyan. Kimberly had a character too, a dark violet hedgehog named Khare. In fact, I wonder if they did the same to Kim?"

"So let me get this straight," said Knuckles. "You guys created 'characters' to fit into our world, in like some kind of game you had on Earth, and now you _are _these characters?"

Natalie, or "Trau," as she was now called, nodded vigorously. "Yep. That's pretty much it."

"That's awesome," smiled Sonic. "The others won't even recognize you, besides your voices. They sound the same."

"Yeah! Let Naugus try and fight us now!" Trau grinned, cracking her knuckles. "I'll put him into a world of hurt!"

"That's obvious . . . " Knuckles muttered, rubbing his stomach where he had been punched.

Sonic smiled and laughed at his friends, still amazed at this extraordinary transformation. The full impact of it hadn't hit him yet, but it would sooner or later. For now, when he looked at Jessica, or Cyan, she still looked like the human girl he had known for so long instead of a beautiful light-blue hedgehog. Somehow she hardly even looked different despite the change in color and anatomy . . . Her eyes were still gentle and expressive, and her bangs fell over them in much the same way they always had in the past. Even her quills seemed to resemble her long hair. The same went for Trau. Her long "dreads" looked almost exactly like Natalie's hair, and there was that same old look of boldness in her eyes. Figuratively, had they really even changed at all?

"Let's go awaken the others," Sonic said suddenly. "This they've got to see. We had better start searching for Naugus and Kim too."

The two new Mobians nodded and followed the Freedom Fighter leader and the Guardian back to camp.


	11. Chapter 11 The Seventh Emerald

**.:Chapter 11:.**

**The Seventh Emerald**

Naugus stepped forward, gazing down gleefully at what he saw before him. "Yes . . . It's happened. It's finally happened! The transformation has taken place! Take a look Shadow!"

The dark wizard moved aside to reveal the pictures displayed in the ice. There, in a small clearing in the now-frozen forests of the Floating Island, were Sonic, Knuckles, and two creatures that he had formerly known to be humans . . . Only they were no longer _human. _Shadow shook his head in amazement.

"How can this be?"

Naugus chuckled, his sharp teeth gleaming in the weak light that filtered through the mists of the Void. "It's just like I predicted, Shadow! Just as I've said! The magic of Sanctuary would find its way to the human girls, and because of their own foolish fantasies it would change them into what they most desire! Now, I can use them to my advantage!"

Shadow could only stare at the pictures, awe-stricken. Sanctuary truly _was _capable of creating any reality . . . Surely it could bring Maria back! His heart swelled at the thought of that possibility!

Naugus cackled and went on excitedly. "They're mine now, Shadow! My little puppets! Once I have the seventh Chaos Emerald, I will have the final power, the final power to control the three of them, and then, they'll hand deliver Mobius right to me!"

Suddenly the black hedgehog looked up at his master. ". . . The girl . . . Kimberly . . . What of Kimberly?"

The wizard glanced down at him, and his smile nearly stretched to his ears. "Kaligarr! Bring out our new crew member!"

Shadow turned to the set of cliffs ahead, where Naugus had motioned. Suddenly, from the shadows, Kaligarr stepped forth, his eyes glowing scarlet red through the snow. As he drew farther and farther forward, a figure appeared at his right side, a figure he didn't at all recognize to be Kimberly. There, beside the griffin, was a dark violet hedgehog with flashing golden eyes that pierced the icy haze in the air like searchlights. A long, pitch black cape flowed behind her, and her obsidian-black boots contrasted sharply against the white snow as she moved forward effortlessly, drifting rather than walking. Why . . . this was a phantom, not the girl Shadow had talked to not so long ago . . .

"That-that can't be her, Sir? She's . . . "

"A hedgehog," Naugus smirked. "A very _powerful _hedgehog."

Shadow was still shocked by this transformation. He witnessed amazing things before -- like warps in time and space -- but never anything like _this. _"Kimberly?" he asked. "Kimberly, is that you?"

"Kimberly?" came a cold, stern voice. "I do not know of who you speak of. I am Khare."

Naugus's laughter filled the air once again, only adding the cold chill that was growing stronger and stronger by the minute. Shadow found himself shivering, when the cold had never really bothered him before. He could only stare into those piercing golden orbs. There was something in those eyes . . . something dangerous . . . something _powerful._

"Oh, if only those Freedom Fighters knew what was in store for them," cackled the wizard. "If only! Now, they are truly trapped! Caught in my net already, without even realizing it!"

Shadow blinked, and turned toward his master. "I don't understand, Sir. What exactly can these three humans do for us now that they're Mobian?"

"What can they do?" Naugus asked, his eyes filled to the brim with a sort of grim, victorious pride. "With the help of my magic, and Sanctuary, _anything _Shadow! Absolutely anything! With them I could blow this whole planet sky-high if I wished, all in a matter of seconds! I could wipe out every last rebel on Mobius with one snap of a finger, I could tear down the very sun!"

A flicker of desperate hope came in Shadow's eyes as he listened. "Then, that means--?"

"Yes, Shadow," Naugus grinned widely. "I could even bring your Maria back. Back _forever._"

For the first time in what seemed like an eternity, Shadow felt his heart beat again. To him everything had stopped when he had lost Maria . . . It had been the last time he had ever dared to draw breath, the last time his heart had felt, the last time he knew anything besides fear, pain and fury. And now, with Naugus's promising words, he was beginning to _feel _again.

"Then what are we waiting for?" he asked, his voice trembling. "Let's bring her back! Please bring her back to me!"

"Patience my friend," Naugus smirked. Again something cunning, something conniving sparked in his red eyes, but Shadow failed to notice it in his desperation to see Maria again. "First, other business is in order. Say . . . _the seventh Chaos Emerald?_"

Suddenly the images that had been playing across the ice changed rapidly. There, before them all, appeared the final Chaos Emerald, nestled safely in the rocks of a mountain peak, snow sprinkling over it and melting instantly when it came into contact with the raging energy that surrounded the legendary gem. It blended in with the dismal gray air about it, for it was a soft, chilling silver. The final piece to the puzzle . . . the final key to unlock the treasure Naugus sought.

Shadow looked quizzically at Naugus. He found his master glowering down expectantly at the creature dubbed "Khare," as though waiting for her to do something.

Then Ixis spoke, "Bring it to me, Khare! Go! Use your psychic powers, and bring the seventh Chaos Emerald to me now!"

Khare didn't need to be told twice. At his command, her eyes suddenly blazed a blinding gold, the pupils disappearing altogether. Then, lifted her gloved hand, she reached for the picture of the emerald as if she could grab it right out of the icy screen. And then, to Shadow's utter amazement, the Chaos Emerald, wherever it was, suddenly lifted into the air along with Khare's hand. It floated about two or three feet off the ground for a second, and then abruptly vanished. A few seconds passed, and then, all of a sudden, the air in between Khare, Shadow, Kaligarr and Naugus flashed. There was the silver Chaos Emerald, hovering merely a foot away from them, _theirs for the taking! _

There came a shrill, triumphant laugh from Naugus. "Yes! _Yes! _The seventh Chaos Emerald is _mine! _The ultimate power is _mine!_"

Kaligarr laughed along with him. After all, why shouldn't he feel as if he had gained something? He was working with Naugus, and therefore would share the spoils of their victory together. "So is it true, Master Naugus? Can we really do as we please! Whatever we want, we can _have?_"

"Oh, yes! That and _more, _Kaligarr! That and much more!"

The griffin smirked cunningly, for he knew well what he'd like to do to that blue hedgehog and that bold human girl who had been so foolish to take him on in combat. Oh yes, they'd be punished all right.

". . . And Maria?" suddenly came Shadow's hopeful voice. "When can you bring her back, Sir?"

For a brief moment irritability entered Naugus's eyes as he turned on the dark hedgehog. But he quickly replaced it with false patience and understanding. "First we must take the other two under our control _before _they come to us. That could take some time, because we weren't able to reach them before like Khare here. Their childish fantasies and beliefs about this planet make their minds strong to penetrate . . . but we'll do it. Now that we have _all _the emeralds on our side."

"But won't they eventually find us?" asked Shadow. "They won't quit the search for their friend. How can we keep them away long enough to successfully take control of the two girls?"

Naugus's eyes narrowed slyly. "With a simple spell, my friend." The wizard then suddenly closed his eyes and murmured something under his breath, something Shadow and Kaligarr couldn't quite make out. It was a short incantation, and with one sweep of Naugus's hand it was complete. Kaligarr and Shadow gazed at their master questioningly.

"Let's hope our friends don't find themselves _walking in circles _on their search for us." A malevolent grin spread across his face, and once more he filled the air with his rough, victorious laughter. "Yes! _It begins now, Freedom Fighters!_"

"I don't believe eet! Zey are Mobians! Like us!" Antoine stared in amazement at the two creatures before him, the light-blue hedgehog and the black-and-red echidna.

Cyan beamed joyously. It was all truly a dream come true. "That's right, Ant! You can all call me Cyan, now. That's my Mobian name."

"But how?" Bunnie asked, her mouth hung open incredulously.

"The magic of Sanctuary, apparently," replied Sonic. "We ran into three spirits, that claimed they were the girls' 'guardians.' And they're the ones who did it."

Even Nihara was surprised. "That's incredible! So Naugus was right . . . Sanctuary _can _do anything!"

"They just look so different . . ." said Uncle Chuck. "But I guess you can say they're really a part of us now."

"They were always a part of us, Unc," smiled Sonic. "whaddya talkin' about?"

"Well, it really is quite amazing," the older hedgehog chuckled. Then his face sobered. "But I'm afraid we have a bigger issue to worry about . . . The Void. On the plus side, since we're inside it, we have a good chance of finding not only Kimberly, but also Naugus. However, in here, it's going to be difficult to warn other people of the Void's spread -- maybe even impossible."

The Freedom Fighters' excitement about the girls' spectacular transformation abruptly died down when they remembered the problem at hand. When they had first suddenly found themselves in the mouth of the Void, they had panicked. And they had also become suspicious when Sonic and Knuckles had returned with the two girls in their new forms. Some even worried that it had been a trick of Naugus. But they trusted their leader. They knew without a doubt that Sonic's will was far too powerful to ever dominate, even through hypnosis. It was inpenetrable, even though Sonic didn't always feel like it. Despite the incredible event he had witnessed, his inner battle was beginning to tell on him more and more, and he was growing increasingly weary of it. He tried desperately to remain strong for his friends, and to conceal his pain as best he could, but it was becoming unbearable. Sooner or later he'd have to let it all go, allow himself to grieve. Only then would he find the strength to overcome it.

Sighing heavily at his uncle's comment, Sonic turned and started to pace nervously. "I don't like the fact that we may not be able to save everyone outside . . . What'll happen if the Void does engulf the planet, Unc?"

Chuck shrugged his metallic shoulders. "To be honest I'm not sure, Sonny. It looks as if it'd turn the planet into a frozen wasteland once the sucking winds die down. Not only will it cause widespread destruction as it spreads, but as you can see the clouds of Sanctuary make it nearly impossible for the sun to shine through . . . Without sunlight, vegetation will die, and temperatures will drop. Once that happens, I fear for us all . . ."

The small band looked worriedly up at the dark skies above them now, where instead of endless blue there was now only a film of grayish-blue clouds swirling slowly and constantly.

"I can track the emerald's energy, however, with my computers, and that'll most likely lead us to Naugus," Chuck continued. "I'm not exactly sure why he would need Kimberly . . . Probably for ransom."

"You don't think Naugus would harm Kim do you?" Cyan asked worriedly.

"I doubt it . . . What else could he possibly use her for except for bait? He needs her to lure us . . . That's the only conclusion I can come to."

Suddenly Valdez, one of Geoffrey's followers, spoke up. "I'd hate to suggest such an idea, but has anyone considered the possibility of Kimberly . . . well, going with Naugus on her _own _free will?"

Everyone stared at Valdez for a moment, as if the idea were so absurd it didn't even deserve to be thought of, let alone mentioned aloud.

"You mean . . . _betrayal?_" asked Sonic, a strange, pained tone to his voice as he said that last word.

"Well . . . Yes," Valdez answered a little hesitantly. "It's not something I like to think of from a Freedom Fighter that has been with your group for--what-- About four years? But it _could _be a possibility, Sonic. I mean . . . she _was _an Overlander-type."

"No," Trau said firmly, her eyes narrowed hard at him. "Kim would never do that. And we are _not _Overlanders . . . "

"Begging your pardon," Valdez said cautiously. "but even if that's true, it seems your 'human' race is very similar in appearance to the Overlanders."

"Appearance isn't everything," Trau growled coldly. "You can't accuse Kim or any one of us because we just _look _like Overlanders. What if one of you guys happened to resemble Robotnik or Naugus in some way? Would we accuse _you _of being a threat?"

Valdez quickly shook his head, trying as best he could to avoid confrontation. "No, no, of course not . . . All I'm saying is that it's _possible _that Kimberly could have . . . _chose _to go with Naugus. Betrayal is always possible."

Sonic's ears went back.

"Well I don't believe it," Cyan objected, standing alongside Trau. "Kim's our friend, and she would never betray us."

Some of the Freedom Fighters nodded at the girls' response to Valdez's suggestions, while a few others murmured amongst themselves in disagreement.

The one of them said, "Sometimes we may think someone is our friend, but that's what makes betrayal so painful--it's often the people we trust the most who turn and stab us in the back."

Again Sonic's ears flattened, memories flooding back to his head. Furiously he shook his head to rid himself of those agonizing mental pictures.

"Well we trust Kim with all our hearts," Cyan returned. "I'd never believe it. She's not a backstabber."

"And besides," added Trau. "Have you all forgotten that Naugus and Kaligarr have the power of _hypnosis _on their side?"

"No . . ." came Valdez's honest reply. "And I'm not saying that your friend definitely _is _a traitor. I'm just saying that she could be. You just never know."

Sonic gave a light snort. Yes, it was all so painfully true . . . you just never knew . . . Oh, he didn't believe for a second that Kimberly had betrayed them. But, still, he was beginning to see just what evil betrayal was. Even the word itself sent chills through his wounded heart. The courageous leader let out a long, tired sigh. How long would it be? How long until he could forget the pains of the past? How long until his heart could heal? How long until his spirit could replenish its strength and burst into that radiant, deathless flame it had always been? He closed his eyes and cursed himself inwardly.

_Stop dwelling on the past . . . _he told himself. _Never look back . . . Just keep on going forward . . . Wasn't that always your philosophy? You've done it before, with equally painful things. Take the loss of your parents . . . and the roboticization of Uncle Chuck. Didn't that hurt just as much? But you conquered them with time. Why shouldn't this be the same? Hold your head high. Your friends need you . . . Mobius needs you. You can't, you _won't,_ turn your back on them . . . You _won't _be a betrayer._

Cyan turned and suddenly noticed the very weary expression on Sonic's beautiful face. Reaching over, she placed her hand on his shoulder, and at her touch Sonic gazed up at her gratefully. For it had happened again . . . Instant relief had come to the pain inside him once he felt Jessica's--or Cyan's--nearness. Then all of a sudden he trembled. . . . It felt . . . it almost felt as if Sally were there . . . but _better . . . _Sonic's valiant heart shook. _How was that possible?_

"Regardless," Uncle Chuck said suddenly. "We still must continue the search for Kimberly and Naugus. We have to stop him from spreading the Void any farther. It's his magic that's doing this, and only if we confront him will it stop."

Suddenly be bent down, dug into one of the supply sacks, and withdrew one of his portable computers. A few moments later, after he had set it up and performed a scan for nearby Chaos Emerald energy, he said, "There energy reading is strongest to the northeast, into the mountains. Knuckles, do you know any easy routes into the Emerald Mountains?"

"Well," said the Guardian. "There's a large pass through a gorge in the northeastern direction. It'll keep us safe from the winds that pick up . . . but it is getting into the higher elevations . . . where storms blow up easier."

"We'd better get moving then," said Sonic. "if we make good time we can reach the pass before any real bad weather comes up." He looked over to his uncle, who nodded. "Let's go."

As the Freedom Fighters began to move out, Cyan glanced over at Sonic. "You sure you're OK, Blue?"

Sonic attempted to smile that self-confident smile that had always been his. "Never better, Jess."

". . . I'm worried about you, Sonic," the girl whispered quietly, looking deep into the eyes she loved. She _knew _what he was going through just by looking at those eloquent pools of emerald green. "It's not like you to be so . . . so _quiet_. That's usually my job."

Sonic laughed lightly. "Not when Mobius comes to your mind."

Jess smiled. "Or _you._"

Again Sonic's heart trembled. Quickly he shifted his gaze so Jessica wouldn't see the look of puzzlement, of questioning, on his face.

"But seriously," Cyan continued. "I _am _worried, Sonic. I don't like to see you so different. I like to see you happy, and spirited . . . I like to see you _free._"

Sonic closed his eyes and sighed again. Yes, freedom . . . That was what he was fighting for, what he had _always _fought for. Now more than ever. He was fighting to be free of the rope that pinned him down.

Cyan's eyes softened more when she studied his face, his pale complexion. "Oh, Blue, you're still hurting, aren't you?" She sniffled and gently wrapped her arms around him in a tender embrace.

Sonic's heart suddenly leapt with such sudden energy that it felt as if it had hit the walls of his chest. He stopped dead in his tracks, his cheeks going red again, _very _red. In fact, he could even feel himself trembling slightly . . . _Yes, trembling . . . _

Inside his mind was racing almost as fast as he could run.

_Oh, gods, can this be what I think it could be? _he shaking thoughts asked.

Despite this, he didn't object at all to Jessica's gentle embrace. Actually, it was _soothing _to him . . . Like relief to a long, torturous thirst, like salve to a wound long-suffered. And even more startling was that ever-increasing emotion _welling up inside his heart. _This time he could feel it swell, into something burning, breathing, _longing . . . _He could feel its feverish breath shiver through his veins . . . And what startled even _more _was the fact that he wanted to lean _closer _to Cyan, to Jessica, to allow this feeling to _grow._ This was more than just a desire to be reassured, to be soothed . . . this was a growing need, an _urge _to be with this girl always, to feel that love she felt for him sweep through him. Sonic couldn't believe what he was feeling . . . What he was _realizing. _Why, this feeling had _always _been there . . . but never before had it been so incredibly _powerful. _

It was all too soon for both of them when "Cyan" pulled away. But Jessica had figured that it was impolite to hug him for long when he didn't . . . return her feelings for him . . . She sighed painfully at that reminder, that never-ending reminder that it was impossible for that star she had been waiting for to fall.

_Stop reminding yourself that it's impossible . . . _she muttered in her thoughts. _Is it not good enough you're _here? _With him? Always asking for more, more, more, aren't you? We can't have everything we wish for, Jessica. Why should you be any different? Just stop it._

But the girl knew that this longing wouldn't stop any time soon. It would never stop. Not unless . . . Quickly Cyan shook her head. No, it was far too painful to think of _that _possibility . . . That was as slim as reestablishing the link between Earth and Mobius.

For a second or two they didn't speak, and then Jessica said, "Cheer up, Sonic. Please cheer up for me. I doubt it helps much, but I love you, and I care about you. Seeing you down makes me down . . . Spring back as always, OK? It'll be all right."

She smiled at him and followed the rest of the group as they descended down the side of a slope.

But as he came to the crest of the slope, Sonic paused, his eyes widening into disbelief, his head shaking slowly, his breath coming as shakily as ever . . .

"_Oh, Chaos Emeralds . . ."_ he breathed. _ ". . . I _love _her . . . "_


	12. Chapter 12 Fallen Star

**.:Chapter 12:.**

**Fallen Star**

The band of Freedom Fighters traveled farther and farther into the mountains, Knuckles leading the way to the pass that would eventually protect them from the worsening weather. Both the Guardian's and Uncle Chuck's theories were coming true, for it seemed that with every step they took another fierce chill was added to the frigid air, and a new power was blown into the winds already threatening to gust faster than thirty miles per hour. They all walked single-file, staying close to one another to avoid being separated in the storm. At first the snow wasn't deep enough to slow them down much, but as they traveled higher, the air became colder, and the snow deeper. Soon they came upon thick drifts where they sank in nearly to their waists. And where there wasn't deep snow, they soon discovered, there was ice. Once during the trip they had descended a ridge and were beginning to make their way across what they believed to be solid ground, when all of a sudden there came the ominous sound of cracking ice. Before they could even move, the ice shattered beneath Dulcy's feet and the dragon would have gone down into the freezing depths had it not been for Sonic, Knuckles and Trau who had hauled her out quickly. The only thing she suffered was a wet hindleg, which they had to dry and wrap up immediately to prevent frost bite.

According to Uncle Chuck's computers, the temperature had dropped to twenty degrees, and was still dropping at an alarming rate. Every hour the temperature declined one to three degrees. By morning it would probably be below zero.

Soon the snow fell in a relentless curtain of white, piling upon the backs of the travelers and the trees around them. Several times they would start at the sound of an enormous tree crashing down somewhere deep within the forests, brought down by the sheer weight of snow and ice alone. And as they made their way up, where the peaks of mountains began to loom over them on either side, Knuckles cautioned them about avalanches.

It was a rough night for the Freedom Fighters as they followed the direction of the Chaos Emerald energy. They had covered a distance of nearly twenty miles before they reached the pass at last. It was there they sheltered for the remainder of the night, the winds howling and roaring all around them. It was still getting colder and colder, but at least they had protection from the cruel winds that had been aided by the already treacherous mountain breath. When the morning light arose, it could hardly penetrate the clouds of the Void. Many Freedom Fighters weren't even aware it was dawn when they were awakened by Uncle Chuck, being told it was time again to move on. But luckily, the winds seemed to have subsided, and they began to make their way out of the pass.

On their way down, Uncle Chuck suddenly paused, and stared at his computer screen. "That's odd . . . "

"What?" Sonic asked at his side.

"The energy readings shifted . . . Before they were directly ahead of us -- to the north. Now it's pointing more toward the northeast . . . "

"Maybe Naugus is on the move," Sonic suggested. "Knowing him he's planning to lead us on a wild goose chase."

"That's probably it," his uncle nodded. "We'd better move quickly, then, and keep an eye on these readings in case they shift again."

And so they trudged on through the thickening snows, following the emerald's path. Eventually the energy readings began to lead the group farther and farther east, until suddenly they turned southward, back toward the great valley they had camped by. Some of the Freedom Fighters were concerned about the shifting energy, afraid it would lead them back to where they had started, but since the valley was enormous according to Knuckles, and it spread well over a hundred miles in between the Emerald Mountains, they were reassured. Where they were headed was at least forty miles away from their camp, and so far the readings continued to point directly south.

For another day and night they wandered, and with the coming of the third day they were glad to see that the readings had remained in the same location. By noon they came to the valley at last, where they rested in the trees nestled deep within its bowl. It seemed that they were taking more rests than usual. Sonic had been on many travels with the Freedom Fighters -- they were all fit and strong, able to walk for miles without a rest. And usually, even if they did have to occasionally stop to get their second wind, they were high spirits, confident that nothing could stand in their way. Now the lone Freedom Fighter leader was seeing a big difference in his comrades. They all seemed so downhearted and worried. It showed not only in their eyes, but also in their tread. They didn't walk as if they had nothing to fear, that they were one with the planet . . . They dragged their feet and hung their heads, shivering from the fierce cold. They all had a lot on their minds, Sonic knew. Ever since the incident with Sally and St. John they hadn't been the same, and several of the closer friends such as Bunnie, Rotor, Tails, Dulcy, Antoine, and Uncle Chuck, who all had known Sally ever since they were children, felt deeply abandoned and alone. Oh, they knew they had each other, and that unlike the princess, they were loyal to one another for life, and that Sonic would take better care of them anyway, but still, there was nothing quite more painful than being betrayed by a friend whom they had trusted . . . Except for being betrayed by someone they had _loved. _

Sonic was well aware of the change that had occurred in him too, and he hated it. His battle-weary spirit made him more withdrawn and silent than ever. When normally he would openly interact with the group, and encourage them with lively displays of power and speed, or uplifting speeches, now he constantly stood outside of the band, ever vigilant but also terribly aloof. He said little, and everyone noticed how he would gaze off into the distance pensively every now and then, deep in thought. They knew well what he was going through, and they wondered how long it would be until he got over Sally's betrayal. His old friends were sure that he'd bounce back like always, for he was resilient and strong. Wounds and pain fazed him very little if at all. He always came out of them as strong and daring as ever. But others knew that he had never been through something like being abandoned by a loved one -- he had dealt with loss, yes -- but not betrayal. And such things were agonizing, they knew . . . could they kill even the swiftest of spirits?

Sonic refused to give in to the inner attacks of sadness and loneliness. His purpose was still quite clear, and he'd be there to fulfill it as long as it called his name. But, oh, how he _did _hurt . . . Pain never clung to him for long, but this, like his righteous spirit, refused to let go. Sometimes he wished he could run full throttle and shake it off, pounding it to the dirt and then leaving it behind forever. But there was nowhere to run -- no amount of physical distance could ever leave the past behind him. He could attempt to run, but it would still always be _there_, haunting him, draining him. Only one thing seemed to damage the pain enough to make it cease . . . and that was something that startled him greatly. Ever since the night before he could hardly believe the feelings he had had for Jessica--or Cyan. He had only felt that way about . . . well, Sally. And previously he had never believed he'd ever love anyone like he had loved Sally -- but that was _before _she traded him in for Geoffrey St. John. But even then, he had doubted he could ever allow himself to love again to avoid history repeating itself. There was just one problem with that now, and that was the girl he had come to know so well. There had always been something there he had adored about her . . . he wasn't quite sure at first just what it was, but now it was becoming clear to him just how caring she had been to him in the past. Even in the darkest times, even when she herself had been terribly afraid, she had never turned her back on him once. She followed him like a shadow, spoke to him when he was lonely, calmed him when he was angry, and lifted his spirit whenever he was sad or upset. Now that he looked back, he was discovering that all he had to do was look into her eyes to see how she felt about him, for it was all there -- her great trust, adoration and above all else _love _for him. There had never been an event when the two of them had fought or disagreed with each other. In fact, their minds seemed so perfectly matched that it was uncanny. They could finish each other's sentences, read each other's thoughts, give one another what they wanted without even having to be told. Why, it was a wonder Sonic hadn't discovered before how much Jessica meant to him . . . Or had he known the whole time, but it just hadn't come into full flight until now?

These and so many other questions were running through his head now, and they made him particularly nervous around Jessica. Whenever the girl would come to walk beside him, his ears would lie low and uneasiness, even _shyness_, would appear in his eyes. And knowing how well Jessica could read his emotions, it was all he could do to conceal his conflicting feelings. If it was becoming so clear, he wondered, then why couldn't he just explain to her how he felt? Well, for many reasons, he decided. One, would she ever believe him? He knew Jessica loved him -- she told him so everyday. But what if she thought that his sudden confession was only because he was lonely and desperate for someone's care and sympathy? He knew that wasn't the case, but still, it was easy for someone to make that assumption. And then there was the fact that he and Jessica were from two different worlds -- how could there ever be anything between them? He was a Mobian, and she a human. Sure, she had been changed into a Mobian, but who knew how long such a thing would last? And that brought him to yet another question: would she think that he loved her just because of her transformation?

Too many things were clustering in his mind, and it was driving him crazy. He needed to talk so someone about this . . . he needed some advice.

On the third night, while the group rested in a large clearing near a lake within the valley, he found his uncle and gestured quietly for him to follow. Once they were well out of earshot, sheltered amongst the shadows of the frozen trees, Sonic began.

"I've gotta talk to you about somethin', Unc," he said. "I need some kind of advice."

"Well, shoot, Sonny boy. What's on your mind?"

Sonic turned and gazed off through the forest to the north, where the dark silhouettes of mountains loomed. ". . . Something's been confusing me lately. Something I can barely understand myself. I've been trying to figure it out alone, but I can't decide what to do for once. And it's driving me insane." He paused a second, trying to think of the best way to explain this.

"Let's hear it then," said Chuck. "Better to get it off your chest than to let it strangle ya."

Sonic's ears fell low and he closed his eyes. "I've . . . been slowly realizing something . . . realizing how I feel about someone. And you may be surprised about just who."

Uncle Chuck gazed at his nephew intently now. "Who?" he asked, even though he already had a pretty good idea _who. _

There was another long pause, for now Sonic was having great difficulty in speaking. ". . . Jess . . . " he said at last.

If Sonic had expected his uncle to be surprised, he was mistaken, for Chuck merely laughed lightly.

Sonic blinked at him. "What's so funny?"

"Ah, something told me you had a thing for that girl. Something more than meets the eye. For a while I believed Sal would hold the number one place in your heart, but since she's . . . you know . . . moved on . . . I'm thinkin' that Jess has moved up from second best."

"Well I was surprised too at first," replied Sonic. "I mean, I've always liked Jess as a very good friend but . . . I had no idea I cared about her _this _much."

Uncle Chuck nodded. "Yes . . . she's done a lot for you. More than anyone else ever has in my opinion. But it was obvious, just by seeing you two together, that you were meant for one another."

"You could tell all this time?"

"Love, Sonic, is perhaps one of the most visible emotions--and at the same time, the most hidden. It can be hard to distinguish first, but once your eyes adjust to its light, you can see it clearer and clearer. It has a tendency to shine through the eyes, through the soul. And it can express itself without us even knowing it. And I have never seen your eyes glow brighter, warmer, than when you're around Jess."

Sonic smiled weakly and turned his eyes down to the ground.

Uncle Chuck tilted his head. "Why so ashamed? No one said you couldn't love the girl."

"It's just that . . . I never believed that the two of us could ever have something . . . After all, we are from two different worlds. Literally."

"Did you know that often its people from different worlds who connect the best?" Chuck asked, coming up to Sonic's side, his arm around his shoulders.

"But what if she didn't believe me, Unc? After all, if I told her, it'd be so sudden that she'd never think I was being honest . . . "

"_Jessica?_" Uncle Chuck almost laughed again. "Sonic, heaven _knows _that girl loves you! She loves you more than anyone could! I think that if you finally returned her feelings, she wouldn't care about how sudden it was. She'd be far too happy."

Sonic smiled at the thought. ". . . But still . . . what _if _she didn't? I don't wanna be hurt again, Unc. At first I told myself that I would never love again, for my own good."

"It's not in your nature to not love, Sonic. Love is what makes you what you are. Not just a hero--but a _legend. _And that last thing you usually think of in times like this is yourself."

Sonic sighed and pressed his head against a tree trunk. "If only it were that easy . . . Besides, what would everyone else think?"

Uncle Chuck shook his head. "It's not about that everyone else thinks. It's about what _you _think. It's about what _she _thinks. And more importantly, it's about what the two of you _share._"

Sonic fell silent, letting his uncle's words sink in. It was true . . . It didn't matter what other people thought . . . they weren't the ones who determined his happiness and his future. But could he really just walk up to Jessica and admit to her how he felt?  
Uncle Chuck patted Sonic's shoulder reassuringly. "Go and talk to her, Sonic. The sooner the better. You may be nervous about it now, but just think--once she knew, not just one, but both of you would be much happier."

"I'm just worried that she wouldn't believe me . . . that she'd think it was all because of her transformation or something . . . "

"Oh, I seriously doubt that, Sonny boy. Jessica's loved you ever since we've known her, and according to her, longer than that. I think the only thing you have to worry about when you tell her is stopping her from fainting. I've never seen anyone that can love like her . . . except for maybe _you._"

Sonic's heart stirred. ". . . You really think I should tell her? Tonight?"

"Only if you're ready, Sonic. I think the sooner you do it, the better for both of you. It all depends on whether you can muster up the courage, my nephew, and courage is something you have plenty of. Courage, and love. Do you truly love the girl?"

Sonic nodded slowly, keeping his eyes set forward. ". . . I do. She's done too much for me for me not to . . . She's always there when I need someone to talk, _always. _She's never selfish or irritable with anyone. She and I have never fought, never disagreed, never had a gap between us of any kind. I love her kidness, her love to create. It's staggering how fast I've realized all of this . . . "

"Love can be that way. You've always loved her deep down, I think. You're just realizing that she's better than the previous."

For a long while Sonic stood there, gazing at the misty abyss high above the forest, undecided. One part of him was pushing him, urging him to just go and find the girl he cared for, the girl he _loved_. But the other part was still slightly hesitant, still worried about rejections, as unlikely as it was. Sure, he never doubted Jessica's love. But there was still the suddeness of the whole thing. Then again, considering the events they were all now caught up in, this may possibly be the only time, the last time, to tell her. And that thought made him shiver . . . Losing Sally had been rough enough. He didn't want to go through that again. Nor did he like to think of the possibility of all life on Mobius being wiped out.

He tossed his head to rid himself of those lingering thoughts. No, no . . . waiting was bad. He had never taken kindly to waiting. Time never waited for him, and so he always moved forward, relentlessly, tirelessly. And some things like this only came once in a lifetime. If that was the case, he would seize the opportunity. There would never be another worthy of his love after Jessica . . . He had thought the same of Sally, but she had thrown his affection away, stepping aside and allowing the truth to shine through. No . . . he had to tell her . . . he had to tell her _tonight. _

Suddenly he gazed up at Uncle Chuck, his eyes gleaming as a thin ray of moonlight managed to break through the mists.

"Where can I find her?"

Cyan sat on the edges of the great lake, a little ways off from the camp. Here it was silently peaceful, and although many of the Freedom Fighters were asleep now anyway, she had decided to quietly sneak away for a little solitude. She had looked for Sonic, but was disappointed when she couldn't find him, and so had wandered off without a word, lonely and sullen.

Gazing pensively down at the gray waters splashing gently upon the rocks before her, the girl sighed.

"What did that blue star mean?" she asked quietly. "What was it trying to show me? Sure, it led to another adventure, but what have I to learn from it? So far everything's been bad . . . Sonic's been hurt, Kimberly's been taken, Naugus is threatening the entire planet . . . Why have you come this time, star? Is it this time that the legend may . . . _end?_" Her breath trembled as she finished her sentence.

No, it couldn't be . . . this wonderful adventure she and her friends were living together . . . it could never end. It just wasn't possible. Theirs was a never-ending story, running forever into the wind like a certain magnificent creature she could easily think of right now. No, that star could never herald the tale's end.

"Then what _does _it herald this time? I don't understand . . . Usually, it means we're about to learn something, something as a result from the adventure. What have I to learn? I want to know . . . I'm scared . . . "

"What have you to fear?"

Jessica jumped at a sudden voice from directly ahead. There before her, was that same pair of greenish-blue eyes that had granted her her greatest wish. The spirit gazed down at her kindly, and Cyan could tell that her eyes were smiling.

" . . . Oh, hello again . . . I--I was just wondering . . . "

"About fear?" inquired the spirit, and she shook her head. "Oh, my friend, you should know better than to fear when you have _him _around."

"I know . . . " she answered. "My trust in him never wavers . . . What it worrying me is . . . well, I've seen a blue star before every adventure I've had with Sonic. It's like an omen, and it always fills me with the greatest wonder."

"Ah, yes," nodded the spirit. "The Blue Star. It is an omen indeed, one I'm very familiar with." For a moment an almost sad look appeared in her eyes. "But why fear it?"

"I'm just concerned . . . Every time I've seen it I've felt a tiny sense of foreboding, but that's because every adventure involves danger. But this time it was different. This time I felt . . . _fear_. And I've been dying to know why. I've been scared that this means . . . that this adventure will end . . . "

A mysterious light glowed within those green-blue eyes as the guardian spirit shook her head slowly. "Oh, no, Jessica, this adventure's _far _from over . . . You still have so much to learn, so much to experience and see and do . . . so many wonders are waiting to start for you . . . your story is just beginning. If anything, you've only scratched the surface of all that lies in store for you and your friends."

Cyan blinked in amazement. ". . . You know my future? Everything that will happen to me?"

"I do," she nodded. "But I'm afraid you yourself must discover them. I cannot reveal the future . . . Even though there's spots of darkness here and there, it's far too precious for one to describe. It is for you and you alone." Suddenly a tear gleamed within her eyes.

Suddenly Jessica was filled with a sensation similar to that given off by the Blue Star. One of wonder, faith, and above all, _hope._

"Trust me, my friend," said the spirit. "You've nothing to fear. Yes, hard times will be ahead of you, and yes there will be pain. But you mustn't give up hope on what you believe in so strongly--there are still dreams inside you yet to be fulfilled."

All of a sudden Cyan found herself wiping tears from her eyes as well. Oh, yes, there were dreams within he that she longed to have fulfilled . . . one in particular that had been torturing her now more than ever.

"I'd hate to say it," she said lowly, sullenly. "But some of those dreams are just too unreal to come true." She shivered and clamped her eyes shut in painful longing.

The girl didn't see it, but suddenly a very knowing smile spread across the face of her guardian. "Don't give up so soon, Jessica . . . Some of those dreams . . . some of those wonders . . . are waiting just around the corner."

Jessica looked up, but the spirit was gone in a flash. And before she could even take in what it had said, as if by magic, another very familiar voice suddenly came to her ears.

"Hey, Jess . . . "

Cyan gasped and jumped to her feet, startled by Sonic's sudden appearance. He stood less than seven feet away from her, tall and proud, the faint reflection of moonlight on water casting dancing shadows across his beautiful face. She never once saw the strange look of nervousness in his eyes, the trembling hope that was there. No, all she saw was his greatness as he stood there, the wind blowing through his quills and the illustrious blue of his hide glistening brilliantly even in the darkest air. Oh, how the mere _sight _of him filled her with joy, with happiness and love!

"Hey," was all she could say.

"You OK?" Sonic asked, noting how uneasy she seemed.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied, smiling lightly. "You just startled me is all."

Sonic smiled too. "Sorry 'bout that."

"It's OK."

He walked up beside her, biting his lip, trying to talk as casually as possible. "So what have you been up to?"

"Looking for you," Jess grinned. "Where have you been, fella?"

"Oh I was just . . . talking with Uncle Chuck . . . " he answered hesitantly.

"Anything wrong?"

"Huh? No, no, we were just chatting, that's all. I was, uh, just asking him advice . . . about my obvious depression lately . . . " He shuffled his foot in the sandy gravel of the lake shore.

"I'm so sorry for the way you've been feeling lately," Cy said softly. "I wish I could help . . . "

"Heh, you've been more help to me than anyone has . . . " His voice was nearbly inaudible as he said it, his ears lowering.

Jessica gazed up at him and smiled modestly, happy to hear that she had helped to alleviate his pain. "Thanks."

"Thank _you._"

"It's no problem, Blue . . . I can't stand to see anyone I care about upset or hurting, especially you. I only want to make a difference to them, to help them in every way I can . . . otherwise I feel so useless."

"You're not useless, Jess. That's the last thing you are."

"Aw, thanks, Blue . . . "

"No prob."

There was a long silence, and then Sonic asked, "Why've you been looking for me, Jess? Everything all right?"

"Yeah, everything's fine," came her reply. "I just couldn't sleep . . . and your company always helps me relax."

He smiled. "Couldn't sleep, huh? What's up?"

"I've just been thinking about how I saw that star before all this began, and that weird vision I had. I've been worrying about what it all meant . . . So many bad things have already happened . . . "

"Ah, don't worry about that, Jess . . . that whole thing with-with Sal . . . well . . . I've been fearing that for a long time. It was . . . it was bound to happen sooner or later." He sighed and closed his eyes.

"I'm sorry Sonic . . . " Jess whispered, her hand on his shoulder.

Sonic's heart trembled. "It's cool . . . No one's fault." He shook his head and gazed softly at her. "And don't you worry about Kim or Naugus. We'll find Kimberly, and at the same time, we'll make Naugus wish he never existed."

Cyan suddenly buried her head in his chest, sobbing. "I hope she's OK . . . I'm so worried about her . . . "

Sonic swallowed hard, his ears now flat against his head, but he took her in his arms. For a second or two he was silent, trying to decide something, but when he heard her distress, he held her close. "Hey, it's all right. No tears, Jess . . . no tears. We'll find Kim. Trust me. We'll find her."

The girl trembled, being so close to the one she loved. Oh, how she wished this could be _real_--that he could love her in return. Not wanting to have that agonizing pain fill her soul again, she pressed closer to him and tried to hide her tears . . . but it was no use. That torturous longing consumed her, and soon her face was wet with tears.

"Sonic . . .?" she asked, sniffling. "Have you ever felt so alone that you could die? Have you ever felt so distant from the one you love, so distant and yet so close, that it just tears you up inside?"

Sonic sighed, for right now that was the epitome of what he was feeling. And he knew exactly what she meant by it as well. He closed his eyes. He couldn't hide this much longer . . . he _had _to tell her. Now was as good a time as any . . .

"Yes," he said finally. "I've felt that way, and I know exactly what you're goin' through, Jess. But you never have to worry, because the people we love are always there. Always. Sometimes they're even closer than you think." Jessica sniffed and Sonic held her tighter. "I'll always be there, Jess. Nothing in this world could stop me from bein' at your side . . . And even if I am gone for a little while, I'll still be there . . . in the sunlight within your eyes . . . in the stars that glitter and gleam at night . . . in the wind that whispers through the trees . . . Just take a look around, and listen . . . because I swear to you I'll be there for you."

Jessica turned and gazed deep into his eyes, touched by his promising words. She was going to speak, but as he met her eyes, she found she couldn't. For those eyes never failed to capture her . . . so gentle, so full of life . . . They simply had no equal, no match. There could never be a soul she would ever love more than the one who stood before her now, and by the Chaos Emeralds she couldn't supress that love forever! Even if she tried, it would just come out on its own, for it was more powerful, more deep than anything she had ever known.

Scarcely thinking, she moved closer to him, never once taking her eyes off his.

Sonic's ears lowered, and he shivered, but he didn't move away. He watched her as though some kind of spell bound them together, hardly daring to breathe. Under normal circumstances his mind would be racing frantically . . . but not now. Now the only thing pulsing through his veins was a deep, passionate love.

The same went for Jessica, and closer she drew . . . Until once again reality stepped between them. No . . . it just could never be . . . Painfully she closed her eyes, remebering the spirit's words of hope, but shunning them miserably. It just couldn't happen. Sadly she closed her eyes.

But before she could turn away, she suddenly felt a gentle hand on her cheek, and, startled, she blinked back at Sonic.

He smiled tenderly, his heart pounding.

"Hey . . . " he whispered, gently pulling her closer to him. And then, suddenly, he pressed his lips against hers in a loving kiss.

At that moment the girl's eyes went wide and her heart stopped beating altogether. All feeling left her and she was robbed completely of breath. For a moment she felt very close to fainting, and then, as though he were the only thing that could keep her from dropping dead, she desperately wrapped her arms around him and kissed him deeper, that passion that had for so long been tied down stealing her away.

When at last she was finally able to open her eyes and look up at him, she trembled with shock, her heart beating faster than it ever had before. For the longest time she struggled for words, and at last she found her quavering voice. "_S-Sonic . . . . _" she gasped. "_Did--did you mean that . . . ?_"

Sonic nodded his head slowly to keep the overwhelming dizziness from throwing him off his feet. " . . . Yes," he breathed at last. " . . . I meant it with all my heart . . . . _I love you, Jess._"

It seemed an eternity before the words even fully reached Jessica. Even then they couldn't penetrate the storm of emotions whirling through her mind . . . she couldn't comprehend what he had just said. She could only stare breathlessly at him, not even daring to draw breath, to move, to even think . . . . Slowly, ever so slowly, her hands rose to her mouth held agape in total astonishment, and her eyes swelled with incredulous tears. Then suddenly the world seemed to spin rapidly around her, and her legs abruptly buckled and she fell to her knees.

"_Oh my god . . . _" she repeated over and over again, shaking hard with tears streaming down her face. "_Oh my god, oh my god . . . _"

Sonic knelt down in front of her and brushed the tears off of her cheek. "Hey," he whispered. "hey, it's OK . . . Jess . . . Jess look at me." Gently he stroked her face to calm her down and make sure she understood everything. "Jess, _please _believe what I'm about to say . . . . This is real, OK? This isn't a dream . . . this isn't a trick . . . I really, truly, love you. Because of who you are . . . because of everything you've done for me . . . and for all the love you've given me. I've been feeling this way a long, long time . . . . I've just been so worried to admit it . . . . But _please _belive me . . . "

Jessica was sure she'd lose consciousness any moment now, and again she found herself clinging onto him desperately. "_This-this can't be real . . . am I dreaming?_" she cried. "_Am I dead?_"

"No, no . . . you're alive, and you're here with me, where you belong . . . Shhh, it's OK . . . Jess, please belive me . . . " He closed his eyes, fighting back his own tears, and held her close.

The girl kept repeating Sonic's words in her head over and over, trying to convince herself that his _was _reality, _it was, it was! _No longer was this a dream hopelessly out of reach. No longer was this something that she longed for day and night, every day of her life . . . _At last! At last that star had fallen! That very star she had been waiting for for so _very _long! She held it now, right there in her arms . . . oh, if only she could grasp just what was happening, for this, this was just too good to be true . . . _

One can only imagine what it's like to have their deepest dreams come true. It's something that rarely happens indeed . . . but when it does, it's something that can take your very breath away. For to finally have something you have been waiting for, yearning for, pining for right there in front of you . . . is almost too good to comprehend, too good to even dare take. This was what Jessica was going through now, only it was increased by the hundredfold. It was impossible! It was something she had never even in her wildest fantasies believed to ever have happen, but yet there he was, right in front of her, holding her like he never had. And she could feel the great difference in his touch, the love that was there that never had been before. And it felt so good that it literally _hurt. _She kept wondering if this was all just some painful dream, just some viciously cruel trick of her imagination, but she could feel Sonic right there, hear his voice, hear his heartbeat . . . And then, finally, it all hit her, and she fell into his arms.

"_Sonic!_" she cried. "_Oh, Sonic, I love you! I love you more than life, more than anything . . . anything!_" She held onto him as though her life depended on it, so afraid that if she let go that she'd lose him forever.

Sonic clamped his eyes shut, made a feeble attempt to draw breath, and pressed his shaking head close to hers. He couldn't have hoped for a better response than this, and suddenly he felt as if he had found the place where he truly belonged. "Shhhh . . . I love you, too. Very much so, Jess. Very, very much."

"Sonic . . . Sonic I've waited so long . . . " Jess sobbed. "_So long! _I can't--I can't believe this is really happening . . . "

"I know . . . " he whispered. "But soon you will. When you first met me for real on Earth you couldn't belive it either. But now you do, right?"

"Right . . . . With all my heart, Sonic . . . with _all _my heart . . . "

"And I believe in you. There's no way I couldn't . . . You've been such a big part of my life, Jess. Ever since I met you, and even before that. Somehow, deep down, I _knew _about you . . . It's just so hard to describe . . . "

"Just as I knew about you . . . " she nodded. "I know . . . It's fate whispering to us."

"That must be it, Jess . . . for why else would time and space have connected in the miraculous way they have to bring us together?"

The girl squeezed his hand, trying to prevent herself from bursting into tears again. "_It was meant to be . . . _Sonic, please tell me this is real . . . tell me this isn't just another cruel dream torturing my heart . . . _please, oh, please _let this be real . . . "

Sonic gazed down at her, and then took her hand in his, pressing it against his face. "This is real, Jess. As real as it gets. And so is this . . . " He placed his hand on her cheek gently.

Cyan closed her eyes at his touch, forcing herself to realize that it was _real. _

Sonic smiled. "I promise, Jess. Remember . . . I'm always right."

Jessica laughed quietly, and wrapped her arms around him tighter, content to stay right there forever and ever. "I don't want to leave, Sonic . . . I never want to leave your side . . . Not even for a minute . . . "

"No one said you had to. And if anyone does, I'll hit 'em so hard I'll send them into orbit. How 'bout that?" He smirked down at her and was glad to see her smile back. It didn't matter whether she was human or Mobian . . . she was still that same girl he loved, inside and out. And she still had that smile that never failed to lift his spirits.

"Sonic?" Jess asked suddenly.

"Hmm?"

"Can I call you mine?"

Sonic's eyes took on that luminous spark of life that Jessica had grown to adore. "Only if I can call _you _the same. Is that a bargain?"

Jessica squeezed his hand again. "Done."

Sonic smiled and kissed her cheek. And they sat there side-by-side on that pleasant lake shore on into the night, nothing to ever separate them again. Time and space could try anything within its marvelous power now--it didn't matter. Now they had a bond between them that could never be severed. He was hers, and she was his, at last. And best of all, it was no longer a hopeful fantasy. It was reality--one that could hardly be believed at all.

Even Sonic, the great hero himself, had to remind himself that this wasn't a dream.

"Jess?"

"Hmm?"

"I love you, Jess."

The girl smiled and laid her head on his shoulder. "Call me Cy."

Somewhere amid all those swirling clouds of the Void, two green-blue eyes smiled down on the two of them warmly.


	13. Chapter 13 The Weakening

**.:Chapter 13:.**

**The Weakening**

"They still haven't gotten it, have they? They've been wandering around in a huge circle for nearly five days now, and still they are clueless! Ah yes! This gives me ample time to see just what my magic can do!"

Naugus stood before the wall of ice where silent pictures played. Now the images showed the Freedom Fighters turning farther and father back west, until the energy readings started to shift north once more. At his side sat Kaligarr, calmly preening his massive wing feathers as his master went on.

"I must think of something that'll really take all the fight out of those fools . . . Something that'll drain them _before _the real horror begins." The wizard began to pace, plucking at his long beard. "Yes, there must be no errors this time . . . no faults in my battle strategies. All rebels must be put down. Only then will I be able to seize the planet without much of a fight. Hmm . . . do you fancy a grand army, Kaligarr?"

The griffin looked up eagerly. "An army, my Lord? Sounds devilishly delightful. What kind of an army?"

Naugus grinned darkly. "An invincible army, my loyal servant. An army that can replenish itself indefinitely, and sustain any type of damage without ever weakening." The sorcerer's eyes were glimmering cunningly the whole time.

Suddenly Kaligarr caught on. "You mean . . . an _immortal _army, Master? One that has the greatest weapons of not only speed, power, and aerial assault, but also _poison?_" A malicious grin spread across his ebony beak.

"That's _exactly _what I'm talking about, Kaligarr. An army of indestructable monsters . . . an army of demons . . . An army of _Night Demons._"

Suddenly he turned and wave his hand through the air. Then, before them, a enormous cage of crystal suddenly appeared, and within it, a blinding white mist began to materialize. Kaligarr watched hungrily, his eyes narrowing and his ears pinning flat against his thick black mane. All of a sudden the silence of the Void was erupted by a great and thunderous roar that was so loud it shattered the icicles on the nearby cliffs. There, standing with bared fangs and blazing eyes, was _Vren! _

"What happened!" The great creature snarled viciously, his massive muzzle turning in every direction. Furiously he circled and lashed at the terribly cramped quarters he had been so suddenly confined to, for they were hardly big enough to accommodate his enormous body. He was a greater Night Demon from the planet Morian, standing twelve feet tall at the shoulder and weighing well over five tons. And he was a magnificent beast, resembling a giant winged wolf with a handsome thick mane that seemed to billow constantly about his neck and chest, furling about the great golden collar he wore. His head was grand and regal, with eyes of pure gold, and a crown embellished with a dazzling blue medallion. He wore golden rings on all of his legs, just above the giant paws that continued to paw and slice at the cage bars in rage, and atop his mammoth shoulders, spread two beautiful wings. He was so white that hardly any shadow could be spotted on him, a beast, a grand symbol of beauty and power, a _king. _

But despite the demon's size and strength, Naugus only smiled, eyes glinting. "Ah, yes, so very nice to see after all this time, _Vren._"

Suddenly the one called Vren paused from his furious struggle to see who was speaking to him, and once he met Naugus's eyes, the hair on his back and neck stood on end.

"_Naugus . . . _" he hissed. Suddenly be backed up against the rear of the cage, blinking in disbelief. "_No . . . it can't be . . . you're dead!_"

Naugus laughed gleefully at Vren's astonishment. "So it seemed, my old friend! So it seemed. But things are not always as they seem, now are they?"

Vren's legs quivered and he curled his white lips into a threatening snarl. "How is it you've come back! Me and my Night Demons killed you long ago!"

"Ah, ah, ah . . . " said Naugus slyly, shaking his finger at the demon. "The spirit of a wizard never dies, Vrenny. And I guess you could say I got tired of my boring 'afterlife' in the Void. So I summoned up a few servants, sent them after the Chaos Emeralds, and now my ultimate plans to take over Mobius once and for all are about to unfurl."

Vren shook his mighty head in fury and slammed his paw to the ground. "It'll never work, Naugus! Sonic and the Freedom Fighters will stop you! I don't care what your plans are . . . they'll fight you all the way. And so will I."

"Will you?" Naugus asked, perking an eyebrow. "Oh I'm not so sure about that, my good fellow. Allow me to introduce you to my new partner." The wizard stepped aside, and Kaligarr strode toward the cage, smirking malevolently.

Suddenly Vren's eyes narrowed into slits. "_Kaligarr!_" he seethed. "So we meet again!"

"I knew in time we would, my good friend. You see, griffins never stop chasing their quarry once they've locked onto it."

"Griffins . . . " Vren scorned. "Nothing but spineless poultry meat! At least your type. So obediently trotting up to Man, purring like a great cat with his every stroke and pat. You call yourself a native of Morian? The demons of Morian are wild, and take no word from Man!"

"Look who's talking you overgrown dog!" Kaligarr spat. "At least griffins were a species long before the Night Demons. We've lived for centuries upon centuries, whilst you Night Demons were born and bred within Man's facilities. And you call us the followers of Humans."

"The Night Demons rebelled from Man's hands. Now we are our own species, a fearless race that rules over all demons!"

"Fearless," Kaligarr chuckled. "More like a pack of whimpering puppies who flee from light. Tell me, Vren, are you and your kind still sore about having to share your territory and food with another species, the way you run around as if the entire planet was yours?"

"You and your fellow griffins belong in the high mountains! _You _invaded _our _land along with that Human filth!"

Kaligarr suddenly screeched and charged forward. Vren responded with a furious roar and half-reared, slashing hatefully at the griffin who had become a treacherous enemy. For many hundreds of years Night Demons and griffins had clashed on Morian, competing for food and territory. But now it had grown as bad as ever, as man began to spread once more throughout Morian, pushing the two enemies closer and closer to the edge. Back on his home planet, Kaligarr had challenged Vren a great many times for his land and huge hunting grounds, and they were the truly the bitterest of enemies.

The griffin charged just close enough for Vren to swipe at him, but dodged whenever the demon attempted to do so, taunting him, leaping back and forth, cackling cruelly at his helplessness and flapping his wings proudly. And all the while Vren began more and more enraged, slashing violently at the cage bars with his mighty claws, constantly roaring challenge after challenge to Kaligarr, daring him to take another step toward his deadly and venomous fangs.

Naugus watched as the scene went on for another fifteen minutes, quite amused, and then, reluctantly, stepped forward again.

"OK, Kaligarr, that's enough now."

Kaligarr flicked his tail in annoyance, having enjoyed torturing the leader of the Night Demons. But finally he obeyed, slowly drawing away, but not before turning and giving Vren a final hiss.

Vren responded with a low, ominous growl that rose from the depths of his chest and increased in volume as it made its way up his throat. Then the demon turned and leered at Naugus as the sorcerer strode toward him, his hackles raising, and his lips curling up again to reveal the glittering fangs.

"What do you want with me, Naugus?" he hissed. "If you think that you can enslave me again, you are sadly mistaken."

"Oh, I wouldn't be too sure about that, my good fellow. See, this little place you're in, is known as Sanctuary, the heart of the Void."

Vren turned his head and looked around the unfamiliar surroundings, and then blinked back at Naugus. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Oh," replied the wizard. "More than you could ever know. You see, Vren, in Sanctuary, my magic can do almost _anything. _But -- with the Chaos Emeralds -- imagine that power increased a hundredfold."

In the background Kaligarr snickered knowingly.

Vren could easily detect what was on both their minds, and suddenly he plunged as far forward as the cage would allow and tossed back his head defiantly. "No! _Never! _I will _never _again work for you, Naugus! I don't care how much magic you possess! I'm good now! I fight on the side of light!"

"Easily remedied . . . " Naugus said simply, and suddenly he rose his hands again, murmuring a short incantation.

"_NO!_" Vren roared furiously, thrashing and fighting about the cage with all his strength, desperately trying to escape.

It was to no avail, though. Naugus was attacking Vren through his mind, not by physical means. Realizing this, Vren quickly ceased struggling and remembered Sonic and the Freedom Fighters, his only friends, and what they had done for him.

"_Never!_" he cried feverishly. "_Never! Never!_"

Vren's heart pounded and sweat began to slide down his forehead as memories flashed before his eyes. But whatever he tried was of no use . . . Steadily a black mist began to filter through his mind, blocking out those mental pictures of the past. The mighty demon king snarled and lashed out with his forepaws in rage, fighting with everything he had. It was a sad sight . . . for no matter how desperately hard Vren fought, the change still progressed. Rapidly his beautiful white fur began to fade to the pitchest black -- a color so dark that it seemed to swallow light itself. His magnificent feathered wings transformed into grotesque membraneous ones with blood-red sails and sharp, hooked claws at their peaks. His flowing, plumed tail became thin and spaded at the tip. The gleaming golden jewelry about his neck and legs soon vanished, and all that was left on his massive head were two small horns that curved inward just like Satan's, along with his ears. Golden, righteous eyes turned red and bloodthirsty. And, at last, the melodious singsong note that had been in his voice just seconds earlier abruptly dissolved into the most blood-curtling, terrifying snarl that the ears could ever hear.

When it was all over, the newly transformed Vren suddenly collapsed onto his side, chest heaving, as though he was giving one last, feeble attempt to fight back. One small whimper escaped his gigantic muzzle . . . but then there was a violent jerk of his neck, and suddenly he leapt to his feet again with surprising swiftness for his size, tossed his head up, and let out a deep, eerie howl that sent chills down the spines of anyone good and pure-hearted.

Naugus stepped forward again, grinning darkly at Vren's new, or rather, old form. Yes, it had been this way when Naugus and the Night Demon had first worked side-by-side, when the Freedom Fighters had first met the deadly beast.

"Good to have you back," said Naugus. "_my friend._"

Vren narrowed his cruel, red eyes and bared his fangs. Slowly a green liquid began to ooze from his four enormous canines; it was the powerful neurotoxin that could render an enemy completely paralyzed, and eventually, _dead. _

Restlessly the true Night Demon paced in his cage, snarling, teeth bared hungrily, just waiting to be released, to unleash all of his terrible power and fill every good soul with terror and dread.

Naugus turned and looked back at Kaligarr. "Now, Kaligarr. Why don't you persuade our new partner to summon his greatest army of Night Demons? And double -- no -- _triple _the size of it. This will be the army of all armies."

"My pleasure," Kaligarr grinned as Naugus turned and stormed off with a flick of his cape.

Quickly the griffin leapt forward, and soon his hypnotic powers took effect. For Vren suddenly turned up his head and uttered a howl that was unlike any other, a howl that sounded into every corner of the universe, searching, seeking, _summoning._

"I still don't understand . . . " said Shadow, gazing at Kimberly from across the icy chamber in which she had been locked away. "How again did you transform?"

"I saw two golden eyes," came her impatient reply. The girl was greatly disturbed by recent events -- how her mind kept blacking out, just as Shadow said his had, and how, suddenly, she could hear _every _little thing it seemed . . . She could predict what someone was going to say before they even spoke. She could hear their every thought, their every dream . . . and it made her head throb terribly. Never had she heard such a tangle of voices and whispers running through her head. It was like a million people were talking to her all at once. It was all due to her newfound psychic powers. "Two golden eyes were looking at me through the mists . . . and then a spirit came forth. Or at least she claimed herself to be a spirit. But she told me that she could make my deepest dreams come true if I just believed in them. And this is what happened . . . I'm a _Mobian . . . _"

She stared at her reflection in the ice. She hardly even recognized herself, for no longer did she see the dark-haired girl she had always been, but a cold, almost emotionless creature who looked as if she had endured many hardships in her life, and had grown just as stoic and numb as the ice itself.  
Shadow shook his head wonderingly. "So a random spirit just suddenly appears, and grants you your wishes? It sounds suspicious to me."

"She said she was somewhat like-like a guardian spirit. I don't know. But this is how I got this way . . . " She sighed and rubbed her head. "My head is aching . . . I can hear _everything. _What a nightmare . . . "

"It's your psychic powers," Shadow nodded. "They're very powerful indeed . . . more powerful than I've ever seen. You'll have to grow used to them."

"I never imagined telekinesis could be this painful . . . " Kimberly muttered.

"You said your mind blacked out too, just like mine? That suddenly everything just went dark . . . that the last thing you remember is transforming, and hearing Kaligarr call your name?"

"Yes . . . "

The black hedgehog furrowed his eyes curiously. "So strange . . . perhaps it isn't just me . . . perhaps something else is wrong . . ."

Suddenly Kim turned to him. "Do you think it may be the Void? I heard that prolonged exposure to the Void could have harmful effects. Those who stay inside it too long will turn to crystal if they ever come out again. Sometimes it drives people mad . . . and other times it just makes them terribly ill."

Shadow blinked at her. "Naugus never mentioned that to me . . . just how long is considered too long?"

"I don't know . . . I think it takes years, but I'm not one hundred percent sure."

Shadow fell silent and gazed into the darkness, pondering that thought. After the accident of Space Colony ARK, he had been put into suspended animation -- virtually frozen in time until he was awakened again. And although he was an immortal life form, the crystalization effect of the Void would limit his abilities . . . Even if he used Chaos Control to get himself free. But what bothered him more so was the fact that Naugus had never informed him of the Void's dangers.

Kimberly could see the confusion growing in his eyes every time she looked at him, and her heart almost clenched. She knew how badly Shadow wanted his dear Maria back, but couldn't he see that Naugus was using him? The girl would have thought that the Ultimate Life Form would have been much smarter than that.

"Shadow," she said suddenly. "I'd hate to tell you this, but don't you realize that Naugus is tricking you?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean he's merely using you, Shadow. Using you as a slave . . . just for your power. No deal exists between you and him."

"He promised me he'd bring Maria back with his magic. That's more than enough to convince me, especially now that I've seen just what he's capable of."

"Naugus is a liar and a backstabber," Kimberly retorted. "I've seen him do it to people before . . . he may end up hurting you worse rather than helping you."

Shadow turned away coldly. "I've already been hurt in the worst possible way . . . even if what you say is true, there's nothing Naugus could do to hurt me worse."

"Well, I have psychic powers," she replied evenly. "What if I overheard Naugus thinking thoughts of betrayal, Shadow? What if I heard just what he was planning to do with you?"

The dark hedgehog was silent for a long while, seeming undecided. Then, suddenly, he asked, "Why do you even care?"

The question caught Kimberly by surprise, and she blinked in bewilderment. "Well . . . I--I just don't want to see you hurt more . . . that's all. I don't like to see anyone hurt . . . "

Shadow gave a low "Hmph," and said, "No use trying to defend me, Human. Seems all I'm good for is being used . . . for being wounded. Besides . . . I need no one's help or care. I can take care of myself."

Kim looked hard at him. ". . . But that's not really true is it?"

Only silence answered her.

"You want someone to care, don't you? You want someone to see that you're more than just the Ultimate Life Form who wields awesome powers that could bring the world to its knees . . . that you have a heart and a soul too . . . "

There was another long pause, and then Shadow said simply, "I _had _a heart and a soul . . . but those died with Maria. And I no longer care."

"But wouldn't you like to feel like Maria was alive again? Like you could _feel? _Like you could be _happy, _Shadow?"

All of a sudden he rounded on her with startling swiftness, his eyes ablaze. "Don't taunt me with such talk! It's enough I have to relive that tragic nightmare every time I close my eyes, without someone reminding me, cruelly, just how much I suffer! You don't understand. No one will ever understand -- except for myself. Of course I'd like to have Maria back, to heal, to feel again . . . that's why I work with Naugus. Maria is the only one who ever understood me. No one else can save me but her . . . so stop your futile efforts."

Kimberly glared back at him fearlessly, but said nothing. For five long minutes they leered at one another from across the chamber, then, at last, Kimberly turned away.

"Forgive me . . . _for caring._" she said coldly.

Sonic stood atop a snow-covered hill, gazing out into the eternal grayness before him with unmoving eyes. The wind blew cold around him, but not a muscle in his body shifted. His posture was rigid, and his ears were pricked forward -- all telltale signs that he was on alert, and possibly uneasy. Something about the air had changed, or so it had seemed. He could tell by the appearance of the land, by the chill in the wind, by the weary tread of his comrades, and by his warrior instincts that _something _wasn't right. But just what that something was he was unsure of, and this accounted for his clear nervousness.

It felt almost as if something were stalking them through the darkness . . . like a dark cloud was hovering above them ominously. Foreboding, fearful whispers came from the frozen forests. Something was close by . . . some kind of danger or calamity . . . the Freedom Fighter leader could sense it deep in his heart.

He had first felt it the night before, though only vaguely, and didn't think much of it until the morning came, and it steadily grew stronger. Ever since then he had been on constant vigil, aware of every sound, every movement around him. Several times he had scouted ahead of the group to check out the surrounding territory, and stood watch relentlessly while they took short rests from the cold and the wind. So far none of the others seemed to be affected by the change. But still Sonic kept a watchful eye. The bad thing about feelings of impending trouble was that one never knew just when the trouble would happen.

Now the band was resting nearby beneath the shelter of the trees. The temperature was unbearably cold -- close to thirty degrees below zero -- and it was still dropping. The Freedom Fighters sat huddled together for warmth, their breaths coming as stream in the frigid air. In addition to their safety, Sonic also worried about their health. The increasing cold and the great risk of exposure they were taking made it all too easy for them to fall ill. And they were far from any large medical facilities. Normally there were herbs spread all across the Floating Island, but the snow and ice had killed them all. As of now they were all holding up well, despite the fact that they were tired, but they couldn't travel in this weather much longer.

Suddenly Uncle Chuck strode up alongside Sonic. "You seem uptight about something. What's up?"

"Nothin'," Sonic replied. "I just got this feeling . . . like somethin's stalking us, something bad . . . kinda like an omen."

"Hmm," said Chuck. "You could just be paranoid. Our predicament isn't exactly as good as it could be."

Sonic shook his head. "No."

Uncle Chuck took out a small, portable computer from the pack he carried and began tapping the keys.

"Any sign of Naugus nearby?" Sonic asked.

"Still directly toward the northwest . . . " came his slow reply as he studied the screen before him. "Right now the readings are being still . . . but I don't like it. Every now and then they start to move . . . He must be tracking us or something."

"He could see our every move if he wanted to," said Sonic gravely. "But he couldn't stay on the run forever . . . It'd affect the Void from engulfing everything like he planned, and besides, I could reach him in about five seconds if I wanted."

"We may have to do that Sonny boy, if he's tracking us. The Freedom Fighters can stay in these terrible conditions."

"What about outside Freedom Fighters?" Sonic inquired. "Any word from them?"

His uncle sighed. ". . . A few. Our Southern and Eastern friends have begun evacuations, and have stocked up on supplies. I haven't heard from Ari or the Wolf Pack though. Lupe and the wolves are probably bunked down in their canyons. They should be safe there."

"And the Void -- has it reached them yet?"

"No, it's just beginning to spread off the edges of the island and onto our mainland. We've sent warnings to everyone we could. All we can do now is pray they're safe and just attack Naugus in every way, shape or form."

Sonic narrowed his eyes and nodded. "Yeah. Speakin' of which, we had probably better get moving again."

"Why not discuss that with our _new _female leader?" Uncle Chuck grinned suddenly.

"Unc!" Sonic laughed. "It's a bit soon to be calling her that, don't ya think?"  
Chuck shrugged. "Maybe. But it's you and her now, and you've always been the leader of the Knothole Freedom Fighters. And, with us, the custom is that usually there's a male half of leadership, and a female half."

"I know," snickered Sonic. "but I doubt she'd be up to the position of 'leader' so soon. It's only been about a day and a half."

Together the two began to walk downhill.

It hadn't taken long for the rumor of Sonic and Cyan's new relationship to spread throughout the group. In fact, few of the Freedom Fighters were even surprised at all. Some claimed that it was bound to happen, that Sonic and the one formerly known as Jessica were just too good of friends. Others thought that it was preposterous at first -- after all, Jessica _had _been a human, far too much like the Overlanders that all of Mobius simply could not trust. And despite the fact that a lot of them knew that Jessica was trustworthy, haven proving so countless times, it was all still very strange to them. Never had there been such a pairing in the history of Mobius. It wasn't so much that many of them rejected the idea -- they just weren't used to it. But there were others, however, although precious few, who were absolutely infuriated. Sonic and Sally's relationship after all had gave them all high hopes for the future of Mobius itself. For, with Sally as a princess, that would have made Sonic _king. _There couldn't be a better leader on the entire planet than Sonic. His legendary record in the war against evil was far too flawless, too famed to be ignored or surpassed. He was a fearless and likely leader who knew how to lift the spirits of his followers, and take every measure possible to stop evil. This he had done for his whole life, and every Freedom Fighter on Mobius knew it. It would have been impossible for them not to, considering how many times Sonic alone had saved the world. But now, with Sally gone, and Sonic's chances for leadership eliminated, where would their future lead? Surely St. John couldn't be king . . . sure, he was a bold commander, but his decisions were too foolish, too fed by his own ego and personal issues to make him a great leader.

This was why many of the Freedom Fighters argued amongst themselves quietly. For now, though, the others told them to relax and cross that bridge when they came to it. Thoughts about reviving the old Kingdom were still far off in the distant future.

Besides Sonic and Cyan and their new status among the group, Knuckles and Trau had also grown to be good friends -- if friends is what you could have called it. The two often threw playful challenges at one another, and had mock-battles to prove who was stronger, smarter, faster. And what the Freedom Fighters saw truly amazed them, for Knuckles' fighting skills, inherited from the Guardian bloodline itself, were legend. But he and Trau were well-matched, almost equal, some said, in combat. They both knew out to outsmart an enemy, how to use and change their strategies, and best of all, how to win. Sometimes those who witnessed the duals between the two worried that they'd eventually get too competitive and hurt each other. But Trau and Knuckles never meant any harm in their play-fights -- only to prove one another's strength.

As Sonic gave the word to get moving again, and the Freedom Fighters started off, Knuckles suddenly came running by, Trau following close behind with snow balled up in her fists.

"Scared of a little snowball, Red? I'll get'cha!" she shouted after him playfully. "C'mon, Cy, wanna help me?"

Cyan laughed and jogged after her friend. "Wait up, guys!"

"Just try it!" Knuckles yelled back at them, only to have a snowball graze the top of his head by inches.

"The next one won't miss!" Trau called, charging after him.

Cyan was about to follow, when suddenly Sonic grinned and rushed toward her, skidding just as he was a few feet beside her and sending up a great plume of snow that covered her in seconds.

"Aah! Hey!" she laughed, brushing the white powder off her face. "Nice running into you, too, Blue." She grinned and flicked the snow at him.

"Yes, I know I'm cool," Sonic smirked, tossing his head haughtily. "don't need any extra ice, thank you."

The two chuckled and started to talk side-by-side, watching Trau and Knuckles dodge each other's snowball assaults.

"Those two have really hit it off." Sonic snickered.

"Yeah, and they have an interesting way of showing it." Cyan smiled, ducking a snowball that flew close by.

"They always said that love reveals itself in unexpected ways." said Sonic.

"Does creaming the heck out of each other with snowballs count?" Cyan gestured to Trau as she dug into the ground with her powerful echidna fists and began to shovel snow right in his face.

"Sure," Sonic nodded. "We've done it a few times too. Though I don't think a 'snowball' would be the right term for it. More like a snowball tsunami."

Cy let out a laugh that suddenly turned into a raspy cough. "Darn this cold air . . . It's nice, but only when you experience so much of it. We've been going for days now. What did the readings say this time?"

"They're pointin' northwest still," he replied. "Guess it's a good thing they haven't moved much lately. Unc thinks that Naugus could possibly be tracking us and movin' whenever he feels we're too close."

"Tracking us?" the girl asked. "What do we do then?"

"Well, we were thinking that the best thing to do would be for me to run ahead and catch him. We've been out for five and a half days now and the weather ain't gettin' any better. We can't stay out much longer the way the temperature's droppin'."

"No, probably not. I really wish I knew if Kimberly was all right . . . I can't stop worrying about her." A sad look suddenly filled her hazel eyes.

"Don't worry, Jess--I mean Cy--we'll get 'er back. Trust me."

Cyan nodded slowly, and for a long while they walked silently. Then she turned to Sonic again.

"Y'know, that third spirit we saw in the clearing was for Kim . . . I wonder if she's been transformed too . . . Into Khare."

"Probably."

"If she is, Khare has psychic powers . . . she could speak telepathically to us if she tried." The sadness turned to hopefulness.

"There's an idea," Sonic answered. "maybe she could also receive your psychic messages. Try speaking to her with your thoughts."

She nodded and closed her eyes, trying to use her mind to speak to Khare. Several minutes passed, and in between her mental words she paused and listened . . . but no answer came.

"Anything?" Sonic finally asked.

Cyan sighed. ". . . No."

"Keep tryin'," he urged. "It's definitely worth a shot, and she could lead us to where Naugus is."

Cyan found herself coughing again, this time longer.

"You OK?" asked Sonic.

"Yeah."

Sonic was about to say something when suddenly Knuckles dashed by and dove behind them.

"I'm not here, OK?"

"Don't you think your red stands out a little sharply against our blue?" Sonic grinned.

"Shhhh!" the Guardian whispered. "Trau'll hear us! Just act natural."

Sonic shook his head, and then suddenly glanced over at Cyan, a mischevious glint coming into his eyes.

Cyan caught the message, smirked, and nodded.

Suddenly both of them reached back, grabbed Knuckles by the arms and threw him out into the open.

"Hey!" Knuckles yelled.

Cyan waved her hand in the air and called, "He's over here, Trau!"

"Oh, you rotten--"

"_Aha! _Now I've got you, Knux!" Trau suddenly came barreling forward.

"Oh, crud . . . Gangway!" Knux scrambled to his feet and tried to run past Sonic and Cyan, but Trau rammed into him and they were all sent tumbling through the snow until they landed in a big heap of tussling bright colors.

Trau bounded down to them. "Oh, goodie! Dogpile!" She lunged forward.

"No, no, NO!"

A great cloud of snow was thrown upward as Trau dove onto all of them.

"Queen of the hill!" She gloated proudly.

"Ack! Get off, Trau, I can't breathe!" grunted Knuckles.

"You callin' me fat?"

"Of course not, muscle weighs _more _than fat!" He yelled, clambering out of the pile and making a run for it.

Trau snarled and surged after him. "Get him!"

Sonic and Cyan laughed and joined the chase, Sonic running ahead to try and distract Knuckles while Cyan and Trau pelted him with snowball after snowball. Finally Trau fly-tackled him and pinned him to the ground.

"Look who's calling me fat when you have such a fat head!"

"I do not!"

"Say it!"

"Say what?"

"Say you have a fat head!" She ordered, pushing him further into the ground, her other fist raised threateningly.

"No!"

"Say it!"

"No!"

"Say it!"

"I don't have a fat head! I have a hot head!" Knuckles yelled at last.

Trau just took one look at him, and then fell over backwards, laughing hysterically.

Sonic and Cyan doubled over in laughter too.

"Hot head, right Knux!" Sonic shouted. "From all that hot air!"

"No wonder he's red, Sonic!" Cyan cackled they all just went on laughing while Knuckles glared.

"_Haha . . . _" he sneered.

Cyan slapped her knee in her laughter when suddenly she began coughing heavily--so heavily that it took her several minutes before she could catch her breath.

Now Sonic gave her a concerned look. "That's a pretty bad cough, Cy . . . You ain't catchin' a cold, are you?"

"I don't know . . . " she replied in a choked voice. "It just started this morning. It's getting worse quick, too . . ."

"Maybe it's just the cold air," Trau shrugged. "We've been out in it for a long time now."

"Maybe . . . " she said, trying to hide the worried look that was slowly becoming more evident in her eyes.

"C'mon," Sonic said after a long silence. "We'll have Rosie fix you something warm to drink. The most it could be is a cold . . . it should clear up soon."

But it didn't clear up. As a matter of fact, as the day progressed, it only continued to worsen, and at an alarming rate. By mid afternoon Cyan couldn't stop coughing no matter what, and the coughs grew more severe. Soon afterward there was a wheezing in her breath, as though she were having trouble breathing. Into late afternoon she began to have trouble keeping up, her limbs growing achey and numb, her energy dwindling into lethargy. The Freedom Fighters had to slow their pace terribly so as not to leave her behind. Sonic never left her side, a growing concern coming into his eyes. Throughout the evening he and the others tried everything they could to alleviate her symptoms, bundling her up as best they could and giving her warm soups and medicines, but still her condition continued to get worse and worse.

By dusk, she was so sick that she had to take a rest nearly every twenty minutes just so she could catch her breath.

The Freedom Fighters stood together in small forest, gazing worriedly at the girl as she slept beneath four thick quilts and still trembled.

"We can't keep going at this rate . . ." Uncle Chuck was saying. "It's bad for her and it's bad for us."

"The poor thang's gettin' sicker by the minute," said Bunnie. "what in heaven's name do y'all suppose is wrong with her?"

"Well, judging from her symptoms," came the answer of Dr. Quack, the Freedom Fighter's lead doctor. "it looks like nothing more than a bad case of the common cold, or perhaps influenza. But the medicines we've given her should have at least done something, like clear up her breathing or relieve her coughing. So far nothing's worked. It puzzles me."

"Are you guys telling me you don't have any clue what's going on?" Sonic asked, pacing nervously through the snow.

"Well, right now, Sonic, no . . . " replied Dr. Quack. "I'll continue to give her medicines and herbs, anything at all to make her feel better. But I can't lie to you . . . I'm not exactly sure just what's causing her illness . . ." He hung his head regretfully.

"I can't believe this," Sonic muttered angrily. "We're doin' nothing but walking in circles with still no sign of Naugus, the Void is spreading all over the planet, threatening all life as we know it, Kim's still being held captive, and now Jess is sick. What's it gonna be next?"

"Calm yourself, Sonic," Chuck said calmly. "It's not like you to worry."

"Of course I'm worried, I love her," he retorted. "I basically lost Sally, and I am not about to lose _her _too."

"We're doing all we can, Sonic," his uncle reminded him. "trust me, I'm worried about the girl too. We all are."

"I know . . . " Sonic sighed. "It's just too much to worry about . . . It's one thing if she just has a cold, and another if something else is wrong."

"What else could it be, though?" asked Knuckles. "There's nothing else out here that could make her this sick . . . not unless Naugus has suddenly taken a liking to chemical warfare."

Suddenly everyone looked up, the horror of realization in their eyes.

" . . . _The Void causes unknown illnesses . . . _" Uncle Chuck breathed, his voice shaking.

"What?" Sonic asked.

"The Void . . . " he whispered slowly. "It's been shown to cause unknown illnesses in some people . . . illnesses that often can't be cured . . . ."

The Freedom Fighters looked at one another slowly, hardly daring to say a word. A greater fear was beginning to develop in their hearts, and it showed itself plainly.

"Great," said Knuckles. "So if the Void's what's making Jess sick, then we're all exposed to the same thing, and will be until we find Naugus and stop the Void from spreading?"

Uncle Chuck didn't reply. He didn't have to . . . for the answer was obvious as he gave a troubled sigh and pressed his eyes shut wearily.

For a long while there was nothing but a strained silence, everyone afraid to speak, their minds fearfully pondering what may happen to Cyan -- or possibly themselves.

Suddenly Sonic kicked at the snow furiously. "_Wonderful! _So she's only gonna get sicker? She's just gonna waste away right before our eyes, and there'll be nothing we can do to help her? And it may eventually happen to the rest of us?"

"Easy, Sonic," said Uncle Chuck. "We're only saying that it's _possible. _Sometimes illnesses from the Void can be cured, and it may not even be the Void at all. We don't know for sure."

Sonic only paced faster. "But nothin's worked so far. What are we gonna do if it gets worse, Unc? What are we gonna do if nothing we give her helps?"

His uncle lowered his gaze to the ground. " . . . Get her out of the Void."

"But if it's spreading, how do we do that?"

Suddenly Chuck looked up, and there was a pained look in his old eyes as he looked at his nephew. " . . . Remember my theory about Chaos Control . . . how they can possibly link Earth and Mobius again . . . ?"

Some of the nearby Freedom Fighters gasped.

Sonic froze in his tracks, and slowly, ever so slowly, lifted his head to look hard at Uncle Chuck. Trau and Knuckles were doing the same, along with a great number of the other Freedom Fighters. The air around them had suddenly seemed to grow a lot colder . . . Uncle Chuck swallowed hard.

At last Sonic began to shake his head slowly. " . . . No . . . _No, _Uncle Chuck . . . "

"If it's for her _life, _Sonic--"

"No!" he cried, trembling. "Unc, there's gotta be some other way! We'll send her to a place still outside the Void somehow while we fight Naugus . . . We'll--we'll do something, _anything . . . anything but send her back . . . _"

"And what if we don't manage to find Naugus in time, Sonic?" Uncle Chuck asked sternly. "Do you want her to _die?_"

"Don't talk like that! These are the kind of things Naugus _wants _us to think, Unc. He's trying to fill our hearts with fear . . . he's trying to make us give up, don't you get it? We're Freedom Fighters . . . we'll find him in time . . . I'll run all night long if I have to, and even longer still."

"But what if she _chose _to go back? For her own good?"

Sonic suddenly looked hurt. There was clearly a struggle going on in his head . . . and struggle to determine what would be best for Jessica . . . And he was torn between his heart and his mind.

"She won't leave me," he answered. "Not like Sally . . . I know her better than that, by the Chaos Emeralds! She won't . . . she _can't . . . _"

"No one goes back," Trau suddenly said firmly. "if one of us goes down, then we go down together."

The Freedom Fighters could only look at one another helplessly. For the first time in a very long while, they were beginning to feel _real _fear of what was happening all around them . . . and Naugus could sense it. Uncle Chuck gazed sadly into the dark horizon, trying to convince himself that there was nothing to worry about, but failing miserably. Tails and Antoine trembled fretfully and Bunnie just shook her head.

Sonic continued his pacing for a minute or two more, and then said finally, "I'm gonna go see how she's doin'. Don't worry guys . . . everything's gonna be OK."

And without another word he turned and jogged toward Cyan, his friends closing their eyes and desperately hoping that their courageous leader was right.

Meanwhile Cyan was sleeping fitfully. No matter how much she wrapped herself up in her quilts, she was still terribly cold. She couldn't stop shivering. There was no peace or rest in her sleeping mind . . . only chaos. Her unconscious seemed to come in distorted images and unclear scenes, all coming too rapidly, too randomly for her to comprehend. Her head began to ache from it all, and, one or two times in her dreams, she fancied she heard a voice whispering to her.

"_A dream . . . _" it seemed to say. "_It's been nothing but a foolish dream . . . None of it exists . . . None of it exists . . . _"

A few times the girl awoke for a second as if to try and figure out if she were really hearing someone speak to her, or if she were dreaming, but her incredible drowsiness soon took over, turning any logical thought into nothing but delirium. She knew something was wrong, and it was terrifying her. Desperately she tried to understand what was happening to her, but every time she failed, and that only frightened her more. She wanted to wake up and talk to her friends, to be around those she knew she could trust and rely on for security, but it seemed utterly impossible to wake from this deep, yet fitful sleep.

"Cy . . . Cy, wake up."

The girl hardly stirred and hardly registered the words coming to her, believing them to be another dream. Then they came again, slightly louder, along with a gentle prodding of her shoulder. It took several minutes, but at last, with a tired groan, she opened her eyes and saw Sonic kneeling at her side.

"Hey," he said softly. "You all right?"

For a moment it felt as if she had heard him speak to her as if she were still in a deep sleep, his words distant and hard to focus on. But soon her mind began to clear up a little.

"Sonic . . . ?" she asked in a feeble voice.

"How ya feelin'?" he asked, taking her hand in his.

She closed her eyes. "Not so good, Sonic . . . " she mumbled. "I'm so tired . . . I feel dazed, as though I'm hardly conscious . . . I'm scared."

Sonic hugged her gently. "Don't be scared. I'm not gonna let anything happen to you. Neither will the others. Do you think you can still travel?"

"I don't even feel like I can get up . . ." came her reply. "Sonic, what's wrong with me?"

Sonic lowered his ears, unsure of whether to tell her all that he and the Freedom Fighters had discussed. "We're not sure . . . " he said finally. "But don't worry. You'll be all right. Trust me."

He tried to sound as confident as possible, but he couldn't hide all the concern in his voice, for Cyan truly didn't look well at all. Her eyes were puffy, red, and glazed. Her skin was pale and sickly, and her voice was almost nothing more than a strained whisper.

"I don't want to hold everyone up," she said, laying her head against his arm.

"You're not holdin' us up. We'll carry you if we have to. Don't worry about it . . . just get some rest."

"I'm afraid to be alone Sonic . . . " she whispered.

"No one's leaving ya," he said quietly. "I'll be right here beside you until you're better. Promise."

Cyan pressed close to him and tried to relax. Sonic could feel her awful trembling, however, and felt her forehead to find it burning to the touch.

"Ooh . . . Cy, you've got a fever . . ." he pressed his hand closer to her head, trying to estimate just how powerful the fever was. Finally he shook his head. "You're burnin' up . . . Unc!" he called, turning to the Freedom Fighters.

"What's wrong?" his uncle asking, quickly running up with Dr. Quack at his side.

"She's got a bad fever . . . " he answered gravely. "Feel her, she's burning hot to the touch."

Dr. Quack knelt down to the girl and put a thermometer in her mouth. Fearfully Cyan began to tremble more violently, her heart pounding.

"S'OK, Jess," Sonic told her, but turning his eyes quickly back to the thermometer as the number only continued to rise.

Seconds later Dr. Quack looked at the reading and shook his head. "105. We've got to get her temperature down _now._"

"But I'm so cold . . . " Cyan moaned painfully as the quilts were hastily thrown off of her.

"But inside you're burning," Dr. Quack told her. "if we don't hurry you could pass out on us. Chuck, get me some cold water and cloths."

As Uncle Chuck ran off to fetch the water Cyan suddenly found herself exposed to the freezing winds again without even a jacket to protect her. It was so painfully cold that she wanted to grab her quilts back and wrap herself up tight. But all she could do now was cling onto Sonic for warmth and for assurance, the wind biting at her flesh as wet cloths were applied to her forehead. Soon a commotion started at the Freedom Fighters gathered around her worriedly, eager to do anything they could to help.

"Give her some air!" Sonic ordered angrily as they drew in too close.

Nihara, Trau and Knuckles helped to keep the crowd back. Eventually the chaos returned to order as they worked together to get whatever Dr. Quack needed. It took nearly an hour, but at last the Freedom Fighters managed to get Cyan's fever down. If she hadn't been tired before, she was now, for she had had to take heavy doses of medicine to keep her temperature down. Once again she was sleeping, though a little more peacefully this time now that the raging heat was no longer distorting her thoughts. When it was all done, the Freedom Fighters all stood nearby, just as worried as ever.

Dr. Quack sighed. "Well . . . there's one blessing with us being trapped in the Void. If it hadn't been for these cold temperatures, the girl's fever may have never gone down in time."

Sonic sat beside Cyan, her hand clutched tightly in his. Constantly he watched her, for if there was anything at all that came remotely close to scaring Sonic, it was losing someone he loved. Suddenly he lowered his head and clamped his eyes shut as though trying to make a painful decision.

"Chuck," he said at last, his voice hardly even audible. "we've got to get her out of here . . . This isn't just a cold . . . I don't know what it is . . . . but it's bad. . . "

His uncle looked at him for a long while, and then finally nodded. The Freedom Fighters lowered their eyes wearily, a thick shrowd of anguish falling over them. This battle in which they fought was like none other they had ever seen . . . And it was only growing worse.

Far away, a dark, victorious grin spread across Naugus's swarthy face. "The Weakening has begun . . . and now, _for number three . . ._"


	14. Chapter 14 Demon!

**.:Chapter 14:.**

**Demon!**

"Shadow. Shadow wake up . . . Shadow!"

Shadow woke with a start, sweat streaking down his forehead, his eyes fraught with terror and anguish.

"Maria . . . " he breathed in a trembling voice. "No . . . Maria . . . "

Slowly his heart stopped pounding as he remembered where he was. Khare knelt before him, gazing at him quietly.

"You were dreaming," she said finally. "dreaming of Maria . . . You kept screaming her name . . . and about the promise you made her . . . "

The black hedgehog groaned and rubbed his head. "Only a nightmare I relive every time I sleep . . . when I _do _sleep."

There was an attempt to sound hard, but Shadow could not hide the horror trapped within his crimson eyes.

"Are you all right?" Khare asked.

Shadow looked at her as though the answer were obvious. Then suddenly he lowered his head miserably. "I can't take it . . . constantly seeing her death over and over again . . . feeling that same agony . . . of falling with no one there to catch me . . . will it _never _cease?"

Sympathy clenched Khare's heart once more. "Have you ever tried to fight it?"

He only nodded slowly. "Long, long ago . . . but it just won't quit . . . It's no use . . . life will always be a doom to me now . . . Do you know why immortality isn't meant to be? Because no matter what, we could never live on endlessly . . . eventually we will all have seen enough, and just want to turn our backs. The only reason I do live on now, besides the fact that I cannot die, is to fulfill the promise I made to Maria."

Kim tried to remember the exact words Shadow had spoken about Maria's last wish. "For all people on the planet . . . give them a chance . . . "

"That's right . . . " Shadow nodded, swallowing hard.

" . . . But fighting on Naugus's side doesn't give anyone a chance," the girl said suddenly. "He's out to destroy this whole planet."

"He's out to destroy all who stand in his path." Shadow retorted.

"Which is basically the whole of Mobius."

"What does it matter?" he inquired. "They've done nothing for me . . . The only one who has is Naugus. He'll give her back to me."

"Why does it matter?" Khare asked incredulously. "Because it's what Maria wanted, that's why. Didn't you just say that was the reason who had the strength to live on?"

"If the whole of this planet is fighting to _stop _Maria from coming back to me, no. If you people wish to fight that, then I shall fight back with everything I've got. And you all've yet to see my true power."

Khare sighed. "If only you could see how blind you are Shadow . . . "

Again the dark hedgehog turned suspicious eyes upon her. He found himself asking again and again why it was she even cared to discuss such things . . . about what was right and what was wrong, about how to relieve his pain and give Maria what she wished for. "Why do you give me pity?" he asked. "I don't understand . . . what gives you reason to pity me? What is it you want?"  
"You can pity someone without wanting something, Shadow . . . All I'm trying to do is help."

He turned his head away sadly. "You're only wasting your time then."

"Am I?" she asked. "Or do you not _want _anyone to help you?"  
Shadow fell silent for a moment. Then he answered simply, "Only those who can do something for me."

Khare's eyes narrowed. "So that's it? You only want something when it benefits you?"

"That's the reason we make deals."

"Shadow, have you fogotten what love _is?_"

"We've been through this already, don't taunt me!" he answered sharply. "And it doesn't matter . . . love just dies in the end too . . ."

"Love _never _dies as long as you believe in it. And you don't believe in it anymore . . . do you?"

Shadow could only narrow his hard eyes into slits and curl his lip, but he could find no words to speak. Again he was defeated by this girl's words.

Suddenly, and without any warning at all, he turned and dashed right out of the chamber, disappearing into the white world beyond.

"Shadow!" Khare called after him. But he was gone.

Sadly she shook her head.

"Will nothing help him?"

"Only certain things can, dear girl. But precious few."

Kimberly jumped at the sound of Naugus's voice. Whirling around, she suddenly found herself face-to-face with the dark wizard himself, his red eyes blazing into hers.

"What did you say?" she asked, trying not to show fear as she gazed into eyes that knew nothing but evil.

"You asked if nothing could help him," Naugus repeated. "And I said that only certain things can, but precious few. There is one thing that can help bring him back, and he's been saying it all along."

"You mean bringing Maria back . . . " she replied, now beginning to glare at him.

"That's right," Naugus smirked, and then he chuckled sinisterly. "Such a pity the poor fool will be let down again, eh?"

All of a sudden Khare rounded on Naugus, facing him fearlessly and coldly. "I _knew _it . . . You good-for-nothing _betrayer . . . _Why is it you've targeted him?"

"Because he plays such a key part in my plan, my dear," came Naugus's swift reply. "Not simply because of his power, but because of the psychology involved. Have I not told you how intricate this plan is?"

"Psychology?" Khare asked, tilting her head and pricking her ears. "What do you mean?"

"A magician never reveals his secrets," said Naugus. "And besides, what does it mean to you what I do to Shadow? He's one of the 'bad guys' remember?"

"He's not bad," answered Khare. "Deep down he's good--I can see it. The only reason he's cold and emotionless is because of his past. And for Mobius's sake he's suffered enough!"

Naugus perked a brow at her and laughed. "You certainly do have a soft spot for him, don't you? No, my dear, no one can truly suffer _enough. _Not until they're dead."

"But Shadow cannot die . . ."

"Exactly. And that makes it all the more pleasurable."

"You're disgusting!"

"Why thank you, my dear," grinned the wizard. "Come now, there's no use trying to hide your emotions, _Khare. _I can sense everything you think and feel. Tell me, what are your _true _wishes?"

"I'll tell you what my true wishes are," she retorted. "I wish for you to leave Shadow alone! I'm not going to let him be hurt again . . . He's not like you and Kaligarr. He's not evil and cruel."

"Why? Because he lost his dearest friend and because no one else has ever loved him? Oh _boohoo . . . _" Naugus put his hand over his eyes in mock sorrow. "Poor fool. He has no idea how his need for love and compassion blinds him!"

"No!" Khare cried suddenly, her golden eyes blazing like the light of a thousand stars. "You faceless coward! You attack those who are weak and vulnerable! If you were a real villain, you'd face those who could fight back!"

"That's how the game of war is played, dear girl. Take your opponents down and show no mercy."

"I'm warning you, Naugus!" Khare snarled, her ears pinning flat against her head. "Don't you _dare _hurt Shadow!"

"Tell me, Khare, why shouldn't I? Just answer that question."

Khare tossed her head and tried to stand strong before Naugus, but he had pinned her. It wouldn't matter what she said anyway, for the wizard could tell what went through her head, sense her _every _thought.

Finally she dropped her gaze and sighed. " . . . Because I care about him . . . No one's ever shown him care of love . . . And he's been through too much. Why can't you just let him go?"

Naugus scratched his chin, a cunning glitter coming into his red eyes. "Well . . . perhaps I could . . . _for a price._"

"A price?" Khare asked, furrowing her brows at him. "What price?"

"How about making a deal?" Naugus asked with a sly smile. "If you agree, I'll let Shadow go and he'll be free of harm."

The girl leered at him suspiciously. "For what?"

"For your _power, _Khare," came his answering hiss. "You possess far greater powers within you than you can ever know, just as Shadow said. Your psychic powers can aid me greatly."

"I can't trust you!" she snorted. "How do I know you won't just go behind my back and hurt him anyway? Tell him there's no bringing Maria back and make him your slave! What kind of fool do you take me for?"

"Fine, go ahead," shrugged Naugus. "I can't stop you. But Shadow is _mine. _Oh, yes, and if you allow me to use Shadow for his power, _he _will not be the only one to suffer."

Suddenly Ixis Naugus turned to the wall of ice behind him, and waved his hand through the air. Seconds later an image appeared and Khare gasped. There, before her, was Trau and Cyan. Cyan was lying on her side with a deathly ill paleness to her skin, her eyes closed wearily and her breathing shallow. Meanwhile Trau's eyes suddenly ignited into flames and she abruptly turned on the Freedom Fighters in the distance, and seconds later the entire picture exploded into fire. Khare's eyes went wide.

"If you say no," Naugus growled. "You'll never see your friends again--including Shadow. But if you cooperate, none of them will he harmed. I need them _alive_. So you have two choices, my dear. Either give yourself to me . . . or the ones you love must _suffer. _What'll it be?"

Suddenly all the courage that had been in Khare's eyes previously shattered into helplessness. Sadly she gazed at the ice pictures again, and then thought of Shadow, Trau and Cyan . . . She didn't want to trust Naugus at all, but she couldn't let her friends pay. It was either her or them.

"You'll have to promise me one thing," she said lowly, hanging her head in despair.

"Certainly. What is it you demand?"

"_Do not _do anything to harm my friends behind my back. And I mean _promise, _Naugus. Promise or there _will _be consequences." Somewhere within the nearby shadows a spectral pair of golden eyes flickered . . .

Naugus nodded slowly, though there was a glimmer of cunning cloaked beneath his promising assurance--one Khare could not see in her desperation. "Your friends shall be completely safe. Now, do we have a deal, my dear?"

There was a slight hesitation in Khare's eyes. Her mind was racing, trying to find some other way to work around this . . . . to keep both her friends and herself safe . . . but there seemed to be no way out. She couldn't outsmart Naugus . . . not when he was aware of everything in her head, of everything in Sanctuary and beyond. It was no use . . . he had trapped her. She had to do the right thing, by the oath of the Freedom Fighters.

At last she turned her eyes back to up Naugus, and held her hand out.

"Very well."

"Excellent!" Naugus grinned, his eyes turning to pinpoints of fire. "You've made a very wise choice, Khare! So now the deal is _sealed!_"

Suddenly he clutched her hand in his, and instantly a white light surrounded Khare, and she abruptly fell to her knees. Slowly the light and color drained from her eyes, and her violet skin became ghostly pale. Suddenly everything--all her conscious thought, all her memories, all her very emotions--completely disappeared. It was if they had vanished into thin air. Naugus's evil laughter soon filled the ice chamber, and when the energy surrounding Khare finally subsided, no longer was she the loyal friend and follower of the Freedom Fighters, a true living soul who could feel and care and love . . . but an emotionless slave . . .

"Now, Khare!" Naugus exclaimed gleefully. "I can take down the third and final component of my master plan! Come, we attack _now!_"

Suddenly two blazing, leering orbs of gold pierced the darkness of the chamber, hungry, dangerous, _deadly. _

"It's impossible, Sonic," Uncle Chuck shook his head. "We'll never be able to escape the Void . . . it's spreading too fast, and even if we did manage to get to the mouth of the Void, its pull would be too great to escape without your speed."

"Unc, we gotta do something and now," Sonic argued. "She's getting worse, can't you see?"

Again Cyan had had a fever, and though it wasn't quite as high as the first time, it was still severe enough to put her into a delirium. She lay sleeping close to where the group had gathered, Dulcy's great tail curled about her to help keep her warm. Luckily the medicine had put her fever down, but the illness was progressing nevertheless. When she was awake, Cyan hardly had the strength to lift her head. Her eyes had been clouded and blank, and her skin was so pallid and gray that she could almost blend in with the snow around her.

"It's like you said, Unc," Sonic went on desperately. "She'll _die! _We've got to get her and the others out of here. Let me go after Naugus. I can catch him, Chuck!"

"All on your own, Sonic?" his uncle asked, looking hard at him. "Knowing Naugus he'll have tons of surprises waiting for you . . . especially when his magic is combined with the Chaos Emeralds."

"I've taken him down before, and I can do it again. I'm not gonna put anyone in danger anymore, Unc. And I'm _not _gonna let Jess die . . ."

"If you're going, them I'm going too," Trau said suddenly. "He's hurt one of my friends, and now the other one's possibly dying because of him. I won't let him get away with it!"

"And I'll fight by your side too," Nihara added. "Any enemy of the Freedom Fighters is an enemy of mine."

"And you can count me in too," said Knuckles. "I'm not gonna just sit here and let Naugus destroy the Floating Island and the planet Mobius."

"Very well," Sonic answered. "You can come with me, but we have to get Cyan and everyone else out. We need to help the people outside of the Void, and we need to save as much as the Freedom Fighters as possible."

"But there's still the question of how to get out of the Void," said Rotor. "Uncle Chuck is right. Without a very high speed to propel us out of the Void's pull, we'll never get out."

"The distance will be too great for you to get us out and then go back, Sonic," Dulcy added. ". . . And even then we couldn't outrun it the way it's spreading."

"Is there no hope?" Antoine groaned miserably.

The Freedom Fighters sighed in frustration and hung their heads.

"I told you the answer is obvious . . . " said Uncle Chuck lowly.

The others looked at him.

"Chaos Control. Think about it. If we just recreate the link between Mobius and Earth, and successfully send Jessica back, it's like none of this ever happened. It'll be outside the Void, and her illness should recover instantly, because it's not of her world."

"We can't send her back!" Sonic cried.

"Sonic, it's the only way!" his uncle pleaded. "I'm sorry, but there just no other answer . . . we can't outrun the Void, and if we keep her here any longer she'll die! _We have to send her back!_"

"Send me back?"

Suddenly everyone turned at Cyan's feeble voice. The girl was looking at them with bewildered, sickly eyes, shaking.

"No . . . _no . . . I can't . . . _"

"Cy, take it easy," said Sonic.

But Cyan's eyes had gone wide with her very greatest fear, and she was shaking her head slowly. "_No . . . I'll never . . . I'll never go back . . . Never!_"

Sonic and the others gathered round her to calm her down, but she trembled uncontrollably and pulled away.

"_You can't make me go back!_" she cried hysterically. "_I won't! I can't! I'll _die!"

"No one's making you go back," Sonic assured her, squeezing her hand.

Cyan pressed her head against his shoulder. "_I'd rather die than go back . . . I'd rather be sick . . . I'd rather die! Please don't send me back . . . My world his here . . . I belong here! This world has made all my dreams come true . . . I can't leave it . . . I can never leave it! I have everything that I've ever wished for . . . I'll never wish for anything again if I can stay where I belong! Please! Please!"_

She held onto Sonic as though her life depended on it, and there wasn't a Freedom Fighter there who didn't feel a terrible sense of hopelessness. It seemed everywhere they turned only led to a dead end. Were they truly trapped?

Suddenly, somewhere within the surrounding forests, a dark shape drifted through the trees swiftly. Snow fell from the treetops, and soon an air of foreboding descended upon the woodland.

Trau suddenly looked up.

"What is it?" Knuckles asked her.

" . . . Listen . . . " was all she said.

For a second he listened silently, then he replied, "I don't hear anything . . ."

"Exactly. Even the wind seems to have stopped . . . can't you feel the change in the air?"

Now everyone had overhead the conversation, and they had all fell silent. Indeed the air felt different . . . heavier, darker . . . and words seemed to whisper through the eerie silence.

"_There is no escape . . . Today I shall take the final power, and then the Freedom Fighters shall finally fall!_"

Sonic looked around warily, for danger was near. Beside him Cyan shook nervously. The others huddled close to one another, unsure of where to look for the threat that lingered so frightfully close . . .

Less than fifty yards away, there was a striking darkness against the snow, and two bloodthirsty eyes peering out from the trees . . . A great black beast lay crouched within the shadows, his muscles coiled, his claws clenching the ground beneath him. Despite his massive size, he made not a sound as he flexed the gigantic muscles in his shoulders and flicked his long, forked tail back and forth. And then, suddenly, he rose and surged forward with startling speed, going faster and faster!

Suddenly Sonic jumped to his feet and yelled, "Look out!"

Right at that very moment the black demon sprung from the trees with a thunderous roar that shattered the silence. The Freedom Fighters recoiled in horror as the beast landed barely six feet away, the impact of his landing sending the snow flying in a great plume about the pitch blackness of his fur. And when they looked into the red eyes of the demon before them, they gasped in astonishment.

"_Vren!_"

At the mention of his name Vren curled his lips to reveal the fearsome set of teeth, the huge fangs dripping venom as he snarled.

"_That's Vren?_" Trau asked.

"That's what Vren _used _to be . . ." said Sonic.

"What exactly _is _Vren?" Knuckles asked.

"A demon, my friend," came Naugus's voice suddenly. "One of the most powerful demons in the universe."

The group whirled around to find Naugus standing on the opposite side of the camp, Kaligarr, Shadow, and Khare at his side.

"Naugus!" Sonic growled, his eyes flaming. "What did you do to him?"

"Why, I've improved him, Quickster. Honestly, did you really think a big, white fluffy puppy would suit my purposes? No, I thought it was time to return him to his _true _self!"

"You idiot!" Trau snarled suddenly. "How many more do you plan to corrupt! First Kim, and now Vren! Are you responsible for making Cy sick too!"

When Naugus saw Trau before him, he smirked devilishly. "The one who wields the ultimate power of destruction . . . Yes, I guess you could say that the girl has fallen deathly ill because of me."

Suddenly Sonic's blood turned to fire. "_You . . . _"

"But you see," Naugus went on fearlessly. "As she grows weaker, _I grow stronger._ Like I said before, my friends, to truly return, I'll need a life force. Well, even you all can guess who I've chosen for that task."

Like a stroke of lightning Sonic was tearing across the snow after Naugus, pure, unbridled fury glowing in his eyes. But Naugus only smirked and disappeared, only to reappear behind him while Kaligarr and Vren growled in challenge.

"What's the matter, hedgehog? Can you feel the anger welling within you?"

"I wouldn't exactly call it anger," Trau snarled, her fangs bared. "More like may the Chaos Emeralds have mercy on your soul . . ."

Naugus cackled. "Is that so? Well, let's see how you like this. Remember your friend called Kimberly? Well, now, just like Vren, she has become one of us."

Everyone turned to Khare who was standing beside Shadow, glaring hatefully at them all, her eyes totally blank of all emotion except for disdain.

"Kim?" Cyan asked fearfully.

"No, no," said Naugus, shaking his finger. "No longer is she Kim, but one of my faithful minions. Khare, let's give them a little demonstration. Summon the emeralds."

Khare quickly raised her arms, and then threw them back, and within a matter of seconds, the seven sacred gems and their master appeared before her.

"No, Kim!" Cyan gasped.

"The emeralds!" Sonic suddenly wheeled around and tried to reach the stones, but all of a sudden Vren and Kaligarr barred his path, and a furious wall of energy abruptly shot up around the Chaos Emeralds, forming an impenetrable forcefield.

"Ah, ah, ah," Naugus was simply eating up their mounting fury and confusion. "The Chaos Emeralds are mine now, and only do my bidding." Suddenly he laughed maniacally, and the wind suddenly picked up again, roaring past them in a raging storm. "You are lost, Freedom Fighters! Today I shall take the ultimate power, and use it to totally conquer this world! And then I'll be completely unstoppable!"

Sonic tossed his head in fury, and Trau suddenly found herself trembling with rage. Her eyes almost seemed to glow . . .

"You've taken my friends . . . Taken the ones I loved, and hurt them!"

The gusts of wind intensified as she raised her voice, and the skies above grew darker.

"_Yes,_" Naugus hissed, his eyes fixed on her alone. "_Let the anger possess you, let it fill your heart and soul!_"

Something terrible was happening . . . Trau's eyes seemed to turn to living fire, and the Chaos Emeralds suddenly began to glow intensely, revolving around the Master Emerald slowly at first, but then rapidly picking up speed.

The Freedom Fighters backed away fearfully.

"Trau, what's wrong?" Knuckles asked, but she suddenly couldn't hear him.

She couldn't hear anything around her, nor could she see anything--she only saw Naugus, and the bubbling rage within her threatened to explode. Slowly a red energy began to flicker around her, and Sonic's eyes widened as he realized what was happening.

"_She's harnessing the power of the emeralds . . . _"

"What?" Knuckles asked, and he turned to the stones that were now glowing and spinning so fast that they had become mere blurs against the giant Master Emerald. Even the Master Emerald itself was glowing now, and its brightness only continued to intensify.

Cyan suddenly pulled herself back with what little strength she had, her eyes filling with utter terror. "_Oh no . . . _"

Naugus only laughed as he watched the fear spread through the Freedom Fighters, and the energy around Trau turn from red to a blinding silver.

"_Yes! Yes! Absorb the power! Let your fury engulf you!_"

In response to his commands, the red markings on Trau's body suddenly turned silver as well, and she trembled as the furious power of the emeralds fused with her already surging anger. All sense of control had long left her eyes as they too turned to an eerie, brighter-than-sunlight silver, and the most hellacious look crossed her countenance as the energy suddenly flared up all around her. Her shaking fists clenched at her sides, and suddenly she rose into the air, all the while the winds blowing harder and faster, the emeralds glowing brighter. Her dreads grew long, falling well past her feet, and all of a sudden there came an enormous explosion of energy as she abruptly plunged straight at Naugus, her face contorted in the purest form a wrath and hatred that ever existed.

Instantly the Freedom Fighters scattered in terror. The wind speed from both the storm and Trau's charging plummet nearly pinned them all to the ground. Sonic rushed over to Cy's side and shouted above the roaring gale, "Get down!"

Dulcy curled herself around the Freedom Fighters to help shelter them from the winds, and desperately they clung on so as not to be blown away. The only one who remained in the open was Knuckles, who was petrified by Trau's ghastly change.

He stood rigid, his eyes wide with horror. He could only watch silently as Trau came flying toward the ground with breakneck speed, the energy about her flaming like silver fire.

"Knuckles!" Sonic yelled furiously. "Get down now!"

But it was too late. A fraction of a second later a massive explosion nearly threw the Guardian off of his feet, and the white world that had surrounded the Freedom Fighters before was suddenly stained red. Sonic and the others ducked down to avoid the flying debris and the wind as it surged past faster than one hundred miles per hour. Knuckles dug his fists into the snow to hang on, the gales, flying snow and hot energy stinging at his eyes. Amid the chaos, however, he managed to get a glimpse of the cloud of smoke and fire that now blazed before them despite the cold.

For a moment neither Trau nor Naugus could be seen, but suddenly Trau tore through the billowing smoke, looking left and right with bared fangs, a deadly threat in her eyes.

"_Trau . . ."_ he gasped.

Suddenly Naugus cackled and reappeared a few feet away from the fire. "I'm afraid not even your incredible Hyper form can harm me, Trau. Not while I'm still in my spectral state."

With a blood-curdling snarl Trau rounded on him, her eyes locking onto the target, and then, like a bullet, she flung herself forward. Again Naugus disappeared and then reappeared, laughing insanely. And all the while Trau's fury mounted. Immediately she spun around and charged at him again, this time hurling an orb of blue energy straight at him. But once more Naugus was unharmed.

"Temper, temper," he smirked as he looked straight at the demon before him. "It's a pity all that glorious energy is wasted on an enemy who cannot be destroyed. But what happens if we use a little _telekinesis?_"

All of a sudden Khare appeared at his side, her eyes glowing through the winds. And then, a voice spoke inside Trau's head . . .

"_You've waited so long for something you cannot have . . ._"

For a brief second Trau paused, her eyes widening.

"What's he doing to her?" Knuckles asked, trying to see through the thickening gales that were whirling around them.

"_Just like your pathetic friend there,_" and Naugus suddenly turned his gaze toward Cyan. "_You've both been fooled. You've won nothing. You and the Guardian could never be together. There are others, Trau, who will just steal him from you._"

"_NO!_" Trau suddenly shrieked, and the energy surrounding her abruptly exploded, whirling around her like a raging firestorm.

Viciously she hurled herself at Naugus and tore madly with her fists, but it was no use. Her attacks merely went straight through the sorcerer.

Trau's blood boiled when Naugus's laughter reached her ears.

"_Ah, does that infuriate you? Well, how about I _show _you those things which you fear the most!_"

Cyan had seen many looks of ferocity and pure, living hatred in her past. She had seen the eyes of her closest friends erupt into flames, and the wrathful blaze of Super Sonic's eyes that could burn a hole straight through someone's soul . . . but _never _had she seen such a look of raw, vehement rage that had come into Trau's eyes just then. It was indescribable . . . and it was so powerful that even she felt a painful twinge in her heart. Trau looked as if a blade of agony, horror, and intense hatred had pierced her very being, as if something inside her had suddenly come crashing down with a cataclysmic force that sent the emerald energy around her _blasting _in every direction . . . Suddenly the nearby trees were flattened to the ground as an enormous shockwave slashed across the land, booming like thunder when it slammed into the mountains. The earth itself seemed to tremble with hurt and rage . . . Cyan remembered gawking up at the friend who she now barely recognized, so wrecked with anguish and ferocity was she . . . she remembered for a second feeling all the breath leave her lungs as a terrible pain filled her as well. What had Naugus _done _to them? _What had he done to her dearest friends? _There was Khare, with no look of pity, no look of recognition or care in her eyes as she stood at Naugus's side like a slave. And there was Trau, who was suffering a form of torture that one could never even begin to describe. Then, all so fast, the world before Cyan and the other Freedom Fighters became a flaming hell.

The air itself seemed to turn to fire . . . mountains crumbled and explosions filled the skies with smoke and ash. The air that had before been nearly forty below suddenly heated to an unbearable intensity. Chaos and pandemonium erupted among the Freedom Fighters. Everything was moving so quick, but it all seemed to be a slow-motion blur to Cyan. She remembered seeing everyone around her suddenly scatter, or fall to the ground in flames . . . Then Sonic and Knuckles were rushing forward, shouting something she couldn't hear above the deafening roar of whirling energy and wind, and then, the air grew so hot and the sounds so loud that suddenly everything went black. The very last thing Cyan remembered seeing was a ball of energy hurtling toward them all. Then silence.

"Marvelous! I couldn't have dreamed of a better victory! Oh, I expected a victory, but _never _did I imagine I could pummel those Freedom Fighters so well! Isn't it marvelous, Shadow?"

Naugus stood before a wall of ice, smiling triumphantly as he saw what great damage Trau's energy eruption had caused across the Floating Island. Nearly the entire forest in the valley of the Emerald Mountains was leveled, and the Freedom Fighters, much to Naugus's pleasure, had been forced to retreat. The intensity of Trau's fierce attack had just been too much. Several had been seriously injured, and it was a miracle how they had managed to survive. Sonic had tried to counterattack by harnessing the Chaos Emeralds' power, but it was blocked--the energy couldn't reach him. Furiously he had ordered his comrades to get out of the death trap that raged around them, and only his speed and courage helped them all out alive. Poor Knuckles was dumbfounded and deeply troubled. Cyan was out cold and had suffered minor burns. And Sonic was enraged. Khare had been taken, Trau had been taken, Cyan, the one he loved more than anyone and whom he had just confessed that to was dying before his eyes, and the Freedom Fighters had suffered horrific blow in this war against evil. And all of this only served to feed Naugus's elation.

Meanwhile Shadow gazed at the pictures in disbelief and shock. Never had he seen such incredible destruction before . . . Nor so much fury. But there was thing suspicious about the whole ordeal . . . as pictures replayed the incident, he noticed that he was there the whole time, yet he had no recollection of anything that happened in the battle. Even stranger was the way Khare was acting . . . For he saw her too in the battle, and he would have thought that she'd immediately fight for her friends. But the girl did nothing. Nothing but stand there and watch . . . and help.

"It is impressive, sir," he said quietly. "but there's one thing I don't understand. Why is it that I have no memory of this battle, and all other incidents where we comfront the Freedom Fighters? And why is it that Khare basically has no emotion in the fight . . . I would have expected her to help her friends instead of us."

Naugus perked an eyebrow at him and shrugged. "Perhaps certain emotions trigger your mental black-outs. And as for the girl . . . well, perhaps she's just realized that darkness is where she truly belongs?"

Shadow shook his head. "That's awfully suspicious to me, sir. It seems highly unlikely that I'd just happen to have a black-out every time I come face-to-face with my enemies, and even stranger that Khare is acting odd."

The sorcerer turned slowly on Shadow, looking down on him coldly. "What is it you're saying, Shadow?"

"I'm saying that things are starting to look a little fishy," Shadow replied fearlessly, realizing as he looked back on the past experiences just how suspcious everything was. Suddenly he leered up at Naugus. "Tell me the truth, _sir, _have you had anything to do with these 'black-outs?'"

"I'm sure I do not know what you're talking about."

"And they didn't really start until I began working for you . . . " Shadow went on, all the while the glare on his face intensifying. "And that last black-out . . . it lasted just long enough for us to get to the battle, fight it, and then return. And Kaligarr--" suddenly he gasped. ". . . _has hypnosis powers . . . _"

All of sudden, faster than even Naugus could blink, Shadow was lunging straight at the wizard like a stroke of black lightning. The dark hedgehog tore right through Naugus, and if the sorcerer had had a bit more life force in him, he could have suffered a terrible hit. Shadow rounded on him furiously, his red eyes flaming, his teeth bared and ears flat.

"You _tricked _me!" he snarled. "You've had me hypnotised! Contained! I should have known . . . The girl told me all along--"

"Well, well, Shadow, you really do have the mind of a _real _life form," Naugus sneered suddenly. "not like some experiment created in a laboratory! I was beginning to wonder how long it'd take you to figure it out."

"You dare!" Shadow hissed. "You dare cross the path of the Ultimate Life Form!"

"Just because you have the ability to harness the power of the Chaos Emeralds, and that elusive power called Chaos Control, doesn't mean you are truly _ultimate, _Shadow. No . . . before this is over, _I _shall be the ultimate life form here. I have harnessed total power of the Chaos Emeralds and the Master Emerald, the psychic powers of Khare, the destructive wrath of Trau, and now I am gaining the life force of the very girl who helped make all this nonsense about Earth humans and Mobian creatures come together! My powers will destroy them once and for all!"

"You can't fight the Freedom Fighters without me," said Shadow. "I help keep control over the Chaos Emeralds, and Chaos Control is valuable to you too."

"Ha! I have Trau to harness all the emerald power I need. And as for Chaos Control, you forget my friend, that in Sanctuary I can teleport as I please. I no longer have to fear turning to crystal whenever I wish to comfront my enemies."

"Then why have you asked me to work with you in the first place!" Shadow cried.

"Because you helped me get the emeralds in the first place. But not only that--because of you, you miserable fool, I have Khare under my control."

"_What?_"

"That's right, Shadow. Khare decided that she didn't want to see you hurt when I told her there'd be no Maria, so she made a little deal with me."

The conniving glint in Naugus's eyes made Shadow tremble with rage.

"_You! _What have you done to her!"

"Oh . . . rid her of all emotion, free will?" Naugus shrugged innocently. "Nothing major."

Shadow could hardly believe what he was hearing. All along Khare had been right . . . He had been betrayed and hurt after all. Oh, why hadn't he listened to her?

"You'll pay, Naugus, you traitor! _You'll pay!_"

"Will I?" Naugus asked, cutting Shadow off. "And what do you plan to do? You can't defeat me, fool! You may have extraordinary power, but you will be no match against my magic now."

The sorcerer's red eyes blazed in challenge at Shadow, daring him to stand and fight. Desperately Shadow wanted to accept that challenge, and put this _betrayer _in his place. He wanted revenge! But Naugus was right . . . he was just too powerful, no matter what Shadow did. It would be unwise to fight him now . . . no . . . he would need _reinforcements. _

Suddenly Shadow whirled around and dashed off.

"That's right, Shadow!" Naugus called after him. "Run to those Freedom Fighters! They'll never accept you, and even if they did, your powers combined would never be enough to stop me!" He watched as Shadow disappeared amongst the wind and snow, and slowly a knowing smile crept across his face. "And have fun getting past the hellions."

Shadow made his way cautiously toward the eight legendary emeralds in the center of the great ice chamber ahead. He would need a Chaos Emerald to Chaos Control to the Freedom Fighters. Blending in with the surrounding shadows, the black hedgehog moved swiftly, quietly. On either side of the room where the containment chambers of Khare and Trau. He couldn't afford to attract their attention, for they had been set to attack anyone who drew too close to the emeralds.

He knew Kaligarr wouldn't be a problem, for shortly after arriving the griffin had taken one of his long rests. Shadow had slipped past him outside of the chambers without any difficulty. Kaligarr was still helping Naugus to hold Trau in check, but since he had assistance now when holding victims under his hypnosis, he could rest and still keep them under control at the same time. It was Khare who Shadow believed he'd have to worry about, for now she was under Naugus's spell and didn't need to be restrained.

Stealthily he crept along the right wall of the room. Just ahead was the giant Master Emerald, surrounded by the seven Chaos Emeralds. The Chaos Emeralds were spinning slowly around their controller, glowing brilliantly. Their power was being evenly distributed between Naugus and Trau, but since their full capacity wasn't in use, Shadow would have no trouble calling one of them. Inch by inch he advanced forward, untill he was less than seven feet away from the gems.

Somewhere in the darkness two deadly silver eyes were leering down upon the great chamber below. They were focused, unmoving, like the eyes of a predator. The only time they did move was when they followed the movements of their prey . . . Suddenly a set of gleaming fangs flashed through the blackness.

Shadow was now just beside the emeralds and was about to take one. For a second he paused and looked around, his every sense alert for danger. When he didn't sense anything, he reached for the red Chaos Emerald that was now nearing him, moving very slowly. He kept expecting something to leap out at him from the shadows, but one second passed without incident, and then another, then another . . . Then his fingers were upon the hot surface of the emerald.

The dark hedgehog opened his eyes in amazement. It couldn't have been that easy . . . but here he was, standing a foot away from the emeralds, and taking one of them without even being detected. Shadow didn't want to question the incredible luck he had. Quickly he closed his eyes and tried to concentrate, calling the emerald's energy to him.

Then suddenly his body went rigid. _He wasn't alone . . . _He sensed a new presence suddenly, and frantically he looked up to see where the enemy was coming from. He saw no one, but he could feel them closing in on him with frightning speed. Then, suddenly, the emeralds before him began to flash, faster and faster until they glowed so furiously that Shadow had to shield his eyes. He didn't know who, but someone was rushing at him, and instantly he spun around to face the threat.

Then it came! Seemingly out of nowhere, a silver-and-black monster dashed out from the darkness and slammed into Shadow with such terrible force that he was sent crashing into the wall of ice, dropping the emerald he had stolen. For a brief moment he lay there stunned, but once he realized the emerald was gone, he shook his head vigorously and looked up to find the red stone just ahead of him . . . at the foot of the glowing figure who attacked him. _Trau!_

Immediately he flipped to his feet to face the unexpected opponent. Trau snarled furiously and without a second's warning drew her fist back and swung at Shadow. Quickly he swung aside, and Trau struck the wall behind him so hard that a huge portion of it collapsed. Seeing the emerald at her feet, Shadow made a mad dash toward it, summoning his greatest speed an agility. But Trau's wrath was not to be denied! With a lightning-quick reflex that only the Chaos Emeralds could enable, she twisted around and grabbed Shadow by the neck in a deadly-tight grip. Gasping for breath, Shadow fought to break free, but Trau's hold was like iron. With barely any effort at all, Trau swung Shadow upright and hurled him across the chamber.

The impact took the very breath from Shadow, but desperately he clambered to his feet, knowing that it would only take Trau a split second or less to reach him. He wasn't quick enough . . . Trau was upon him in a flash of black and silver, and viciously she mauled him, tearing at him with fists and teeth. Emerald energy made Trau's blows over a thousand times stronger than they normally were, and Shadow feared he would lose consciousness if he suffered a hit to the head.

Suddenly, with a great heave, Shadow hauled himself to his feet and whipped past Trau, making another dive for the emerald. But faster than light, Trau intercepted him and before even he could blink, she flipped him over her shoulder and embedded him into the hard ground. Again she mauled him with a hellish wrath, gouging at his eyes and ripping at his skin till he was bruised and bleeding all over. Madly Shadow fought her, kicking and swinging back at her with all his might, but his blows didn't even affect this monstrous demon! Shadow could only rely on his speed to escape Trau's fury.

He endured the horrible beating for a good five minutes. Had he been any mortal, Trau would have killed him within seconds, if even. Shadow was in great pain, but he refused to give up. Finally he saw a chance to move past Trau! She swung with her left arm, but merely clipped Shadow's head, and although the blow was painful, it allowed him room to escape. Mustering his last reserve of strength, he dove forward and rolled past Trau. One more time he reached for the emerald, but one more time was rammed by Trau and sent sprawling on the ground. No one would get away with stealing her power source!

It was no use . . . Trau was just too strong, too fast for him to outwit. He would have to try something else to escape . . . Otherwise he would suffer greatly.

Suddenly getting an idea, Shadow moved for the red emerald again. Trau snarled in rage and barred his path. Then, just as abruptly, Shadow whirled around and lunged for the other six Chaos Emeralds, hardly taking any time to think or breathe. He could spare not a fraction of a second--Trau was already pursuing him with terrifying speed, and soon would have him! Exhausted and beaten, Shadow stumbled forward clumsily, and felt for sure he'd miss. But then, somehow, his hand fell upon one of the emeralds. Shadow didn't waste a second--in a hysterical desperation he fought to find enough breath to call upon Chaos Control.

Then he saw the black-and-silver streak that was Trau flying toward him, and out of instinct he flinched, bracing himself for the agonizing blow that would come . . . But the seconds passed, and remarkably, no blow came. Slowly, nervously, Shadow peered up, and what he found surprised him. Trau was barely a foot away from him, but she had stopped dead in her tracks. She only glared at him coldly, a low snarl rumbling within her throat.

Shadow was suspicious . . . why had she stopped attacking him? He had a Chaos Emerald--the very sources of her incredible power. Yet there she stood, eerily silent, eerily still. Painfully slowly, he gripped the emerald tighter, hardly daring to breathe. Still Trau didn't move. His eyes locked on her, Shadow inhaled, preparing to give the Chaos Emerald the command. Trau was still as stone. Shadow didn't understand what was going on--why the bloody battle between them had so suddenly ceased . . . but he couldn't allow her to resume. With his remaining strength he spoke to the emerald . . .

"Chaos Control . . . "

Instantly the emerald flashed, and Shadow vanished into thin air.

The very moment Shadow disappeared, a malevolent grin spread across Trau's face, and she turned to the great hole in the wall where she had struck through the thick ice. There two demonic red eyes glared back at her.

"_Find him,_" she hissed. "_And bring the emerald to me._"

Swiftly Vren swung around on his hindquarters and galloped off into forests beyond . . .


	15. Chapter 15 Imaginary

**.:Chapter 15:.**

**Imaginary**

_I linger in the doorway  
Of alarm clock screaming  
Monsters calling my name  
Let me stay  
Where the wind will whisper to me  
Where the raindrops  
As they're falling tell a story _

In my field of paper flowers  
And candy clouds of lullaby (paper flowers)  
I lie inside myself for hours  
And watch my purple sky fly over me (paper flowers)

Don't say I'm out of touch  
With this rampant chaos - your reality  
I know well what lies beyond my sleeping refuge  
The nightmare I built my own world to escape

In my field of paper flowers  
And candy clouds of lullaby (paper flowers)  
I lie inside myself for hours  
And watch my purple sky fly over me (paper flowers)

Swallowed up in the sound of my screaming  
Cannot cease for the fear of silent nights  
Oh how I long for the deep sleep dreaming  
The goddess of imaginary light

In my field of paper flowers  
And candy clouds of lullaby (paper flowers)  
I lie inside myself for hours  
And watch my purple sky fly over me (paper flowers)

_-Imaginary, _Evanescence

Cyan shivered in the pitch blackness that surrounded her. She no longer knew where she was . . . there was nothing known and familiar. Only a neverending darkness in every direction . . . and that voice that continued to haunt her thoughts.

"Who are you?" she cried, her voice echoing on into nothingness.

"_Who am I?_" the voice queried. "_I am the truth, Cyan, the cruel truth. This dream world in which you live must come to an end. It's time to return to reality._""No!" Cyan pleaded, tears filling her eyes. "This is reality now! Me and my friends only _thought _it was imaginary, but it's real! I tell you it's _real!_"

"_It's a trick of your overly-active imagination, Cyan, nothing more. If you are ill enough, your mind can make you see things that aren't really there. Can't you see? It's a sickness! You're sick, Cyan._"

"I am not! I've learned that as long as you believe in something, it's real. This is no dream! This is no longer a fantasy!""_Foolish girl!_" came the sharp reply. "_That's all it's ever been is a fantasy, and that's all it ever will be. Use your head and think clearly for once! Chaos Emeralds, magic, demons, creatures who can speak intelligently and run at supersonic speed . . . it's all impossible!_"  
Cyan's hazel eyes flared defiantly. "Impossible things happen . . . Unsinkable ships sink, and impossible feats take place every day. In this universe of ours, _anything _is possible."

"_Then why is it that everyone else on Earth can't magically become a part of their own little dream worlds? Why should you and your friends be different?_""Because we believe!"

"_You're all ill is what's really happening. You're imaginations have taken control of you, and they keep you in this grand illusion. You must let it go! It can't last forever, Cyan. You know that's another law of the universe--that nothing lasts forever!_""I will _never let go!_" Cyan yelled with all her might, trembling. "I love this world! It's not a dream, it's reality! It's where I belong! Nothing can take me away from it now! Nothing! _Nothing!_"

"_Oh, don't be so sure about that, dear girl. There are ways to take you out of this world. And you will see in time how they will begin to work on you and your friends, Trau and Khare. Might as well bid your farewells to Mobius, Cyan, for it's the last you'll ever see of it._"

"No!" Cyan cried, falling to her knees. "Never! You can't take me! I'll never leave! Never! Never!"

"Cy . . . Cy . . . Cyan, wake up."Cyan woke with a start, her heart racing, her body covered in sweat. She was terrified that she'd still see the endless film of black around her, but there before her were Sonic's gentle eyes. Relieved, she leaned her head against his shoulder, trying to relax her breathing.

"You were having a bad dream," he explained softly. "we've been trying to wake you up for a while now . . . nearly four hours."

"Four hours . . . ?" The girl looked up in bewilderment, and suddenly realized that she didn't recognize any of her surroundings.

They were no longer in the valley. They were nestled somewhere high on a mountainside, sheltered by an overhanging cliff face. All around her were the wounded Freedom Fighters, some covered from head to toe in black and red burns, others limping badly from injuries sustained in the panic to escape Hyper Trau. They were all weary, weak, and in a great deal of pain. Sonic himself had nearbly been scorched black from the flaming energy, and when Cyan noticed the long burn mark on his left arm, she gasped."Sonic, you're hurt . . . ""It's nothin'," he answered quickly. "just a burn. I was lucky. Rote and Hershey got it bad . . . they're with Dr. Quack now."

Cyan tried to sit up and look around more, but the terrible weakness in her limbs brought her back down again, and suddenly a seering pain ran along her right shoulder and her back.

"Easy," said Sonic, steadying her. "You've got a nasty burn too. It's nothin' too serious, but Doc says you should stay still."

Cyan winced and painfully laid back down again as an overwhelming dizziness made her head spin. "Sonic . . . what happened?"

"We don't know for sure . . . " he said with a heavy sigh. "We were down in the valley, when Naugus appeared. He had the emeralds with him . . . Vren and Khare too. We were about to fight him, when all of a sudden . . . Trau, she--she just flew into a wild rage. She absorbed the emerald's power and destroyed everything . . . it was insane . . . we were finally forced to retreat, and that's when you blacked out. I don't know what happened, but Trau suddenly went mad and attacked everything in sight. There was no saving her . . . "Cy closed her eyes and tried to remember that chaotic fight. It was difficult, and it made her head ache terribly, but at last the horrific images of Hyper Trau returned to her, and her eyes widened."Sonic, listen to me . . . Trau has a Hyper form . . . like Knuckles does. Only hers is deadly . . . it's fueled by extreme anger and rage. If she gets angry enough, she can lose control over herself, and forget _everything. _That's what must have happened . . . ""A Hyper form?" Sonic asked. "But those are very rare . . . Knux is the only other one I know to have a Hyper form, and he's the Guardian. He's supposed to have that ability.""Trau has a connection with the Master Emerald just like he does. But she can't totally harness its energy. It has to flow in and out of her, otherwise it'll just overwhelm her until she collapses from exhaustion . . ."

"So that's why Naugus wanted Trau," said Sonic. "For her Hyper form."

Cyan nodded and lowered her eyes sadly. "He's taken us all . . . soon he'll have me too."

"Hey, don't talk like that," he answered gently, looking into her eyes. "Everything's gonna be OK. When have I ever let you down when I said that?"

Cy smiled weakly. "Never, Blue. You've never broken your promises."

"'Atta girl. Just don't worry. We'll be fine. I've been talkin' to Unc. We're getting ready to split up."

"Split up?" Cyan asked worriedly.

"Don't worry - the others are just gonna get you out of the Void so you can get better. The rest of us are going after Naugus. Too much time's passed . . . we've gotta stop him."

"But--" Cy started to say, but Sonic silenced her by putting his hand on her cheek.

"I don't like it either, Cy . . . you and I have always fought side-by-side. But Unc's right. It's for your own good. If you stay in the Void . . . you're doomed."Cyan closed her eyes miserably. She never liked the idea of being away from Sonic, no matter how necessary it was. Despite the fact that it would mean death to stay on the Floating Island, she wanted to go wherever Sonic went, as always.

For a while Sonic sat there beside her, silent, trying to conceal the great concern he had in the Freedom Fighters splitting up. Getting out of the Void wouldn't be easy, but it was their only hope for saving Cyan. Sonic figured he'd be able to help them once he found the Chaos Emeralds and liberated them of Naugus's power. Then he could possibly end the spell causing the Void to spread, and defeat Naugus. But what he didn't mention was the fact that he'd have to fight alone. While many of the Freedom Fighters were capable to aiding him in combat, they were all either too weary or too injured to fight now--except for maybe Knuckles. Although he was badly wounded, physically and emotionally, from the previous battle, he insisted on fighting Naugus too.

"I can't let him get away with what he did to Trau," he had said

And indeed Knuckles seemed lost without Trau. He became more aloof, as Sonic had, and always had his fists clenched angrily. He spoke rarely, and glared often. It was now many of the Freedom Fighters were beginning to realize just how close he and Trau had become.

Well, Sonic knew how the Guardian felt, and would gladly accept him as his one ally in the war against Naugus. They would just have to defeat the evil sorcerer before it was too late and the Void engulfed the entire planet . . . otherwise, everything left of Old Mobius was doomed.

Minutes later Sonic rose reluctantly.

"Well, I had better talk to the others one last time before we go."

"When are we splitting up?" Cyan asked.

"Dawn," Sonic replied. "But I'll come back and stay with you for the rest of the night. And that I promise too."

He was about to move off when suddenly there came a sound from the forest just below the ledge the camp sat on, and upon hearing it, Sonic stiffened, instantly on guard. The other Freedom Fighters had heard it too, and quickly gathered together, prepared to fight. For a second there was nothing but silence . . . but then the sound of rustling leaves and snapping twigs began to grow louder . . . and _closer._

"Who goes there?" Sonic asked, stepping forward.

Then, suddenly, out from the trees came Shadow, staggering toward the Freedom Fighters as quickly as possible. Seeing the threat, Sonic's eyes blazed and he shot forward immediately. His friends would _not _be harmed again!

But much to the Freedom Fighters' surprise, as Shadow saw Sonic hurtling toward him, he suddenly fell to his knees, holding his hands up and cringing.

"Peace!" he cried, ears lowered in submission.

Sonic skidded to a halt and stood over him, glaring down at Shadow. "If you've come for a fight, you'll surely get one!"

"I mean no harm . . ." Shadow panted quickly. "Please let me explain. I haven't got a lot of time . . . I've found out that Naugus is the real enemy . . . and that he has betrayed me . . . he promised to bring a dear friend of mine back from the dead, in exchange for me working for him. But he lied . . . he merely used me for my Chaos Control power, holding me under Kaligarr's hypnosis. I no longer fight on his side. I managed to save one Chaos Emerald, but that _monster . . . _the one they call Trau . . . "

Suddenly Knuckles pushed through the crowd. "Trau?"

"Yes," Shadow nodded. "_Her . . . _she attacked me, wounded me badly. It was all I could do to transport here, and find you . . . And now I'm being hunted . . . By the demon--Vren . . . "

The Freedom Fighters looked at each other, surprised by Shadow's tale. At first Sonic was very wary, for it seemed suspicious that one of Naugus's minions would suddenly show up and ask for assistance, just to infiltrate the Freedom Fighters from the inside. But then he realized just how rugged a condition Shadow was in . . . all over he was torn, bruised, and bleeding, his eyes blackened and his voice heavy with exhaustion. There was no mistaking the terrible energy burns that marred Shadow's black-and-red hide. Cleary there had been one horrific battle between him and Hyper Trau . . .

Sonic eyed Shadow carefully. "So you're switching sides . . . is that it?"

"Please," said Shadow, lowering his head. "I've been wrong . . . Naugus is my enemy. I wish to fight _against _him rather than _for _him . . . I wish to join the Freedom Fighters."

Sonic and the others stared down at the dark hedgehog, shocked. Never had they believed _this _to be a possibility . . . That an ally of Naugus would switch alliances. To be honest, they didn't really know how to react to Shadow's request.

"How can we trust you?" Sonic asked finally, tilting his head. "How do we know this isn't just a trick Naugus is playing, with you under Kaligarr's control?"

"I swear by the power of the Chaos Emeralds it's not," Shadow answered. "I join you on my own free will. I can prove myself to you . . . just give me a chance . . . please . . . " he dropped his eyes again. "I have to fight Naugus . . . he betrayed me . . . and now he has Khare under control . . ."

"Khare?" a faint voice asked from the very back of the gathered Freedom Fighters.

Quickly they all moved aside to reveal Cyan, gazing questioningly at Shadow.

"What about Khare under his control?"

Shadow sighed. "Apparently . . . she . . . she found out Naugus's real intentions and . . . must have decided that she'd rather sell her soul to him than see me hurt . . . " A strange look came into Shadow's eyes just then . . . one that almost seemed touched in a way, as though he were feeling something he never had before.

"So you're telling me that Naugus has complete control over Khare?" Knuckles asked. "What about Trau?"

"He's got a strong hypnosis spell over her--one combining his power, Khare's power, and Kaligarr's. Not only that, he keeps her in and out of her Hyper form, holding her under restraint when she's out, and turning her into a demon when she's not. Though just _what _he's doing to drive her into those insane rages I don't know . . . But she can go Hyper instantly if angered enough."

"I say we accept him," said Knuckles. "He has inside information _and _a Chaos Emerald, he can help us, Sonic."

"True . . . " Sonic nodded. "But how can we be sure it's not just a trick?"

"I'm not so sure about it . . . " one of the Freedom Fighters said.

"He can't be trusted! He's worked for Naugus!" another added.

"But what if he really does want to help?" one more asked.

Soon nearly the whole group was arguing over the issue. Amid all the noise, though, Shadow's ears suddenly came up, and his body went rigid. There . . . in the darkness just on the other side of the ledge . . . _a pair of hungry, red eyes . . . _

Immediately Shadow jumped to his feat and leapt forward. "Get down!"

No sooner had the words came from his mouth, Vren suddenly lunged out of the shadows, filling the air with his fierce roar. The Freedom Fighters had to scatter to avoid the giant demon as he landed in the center of the camp, his venomous fangs bared and dripping with poison. For a moment he lost sight of his original target, and began to tear through the camp, slashing the tents and trees out of his way and threatening to trample anyone in his path. At first Shadow tried to remain low and out of Vren's field of vision, but once he saw the danger he was putting his newfound allies in, his eyes suddenly blazed. Through the panicked group he pulled himself with painful effort, and raced toward Vren.

"Hey! Demon! Over here! It's me you want!"

Vren whirled around at the sound of his voice, and with a snarl and a flash of black, was thundering straight toward him. Shadow turned and ran in the opposite direction, trying to lead the demon away from the camp, but the injuries he had sustained from the battle against Trau and his exhaustion began to tell on him, and he suddenly stumbled into the snow. The moment Vren saw him down, he abruptly launched himself into the air, forelegs outstretched and ebony claws extended. Again Shadow tried to move--but it was too late. In a matter of split-seconds Vren reached him and slammed his massive forepaw down on his chest, pinning him to the ground.

"Vren!" Sonic shouted, dashing forward.

Vren lowered his head until Shadow could feel his hot breath on his face, growling lowly. Desperately Shadow struggled, gasping for breath as Vren pressed almost all five tons of his weight down on him, pushing him into the snow. But it was no use--Shadow was too weak from the previous fight to escape Vren's iron grasp.

Quickly the other Freedom Fighters ran forward to help Shadow. Suddenly Sonic grabbed a rock and hurled it at Vren, catching him full on the muzzle.

Furiously Vren whipped his head around, roaring in pain and rage. When he saw Sonic, another enemy of Naugus, his eyes glowed like embers.

Sonic glared back at Vren fearlessly. He had known the demon--even in his dark form--far too long to be afraid of him now.

"Vren, what has Naugus done to you?" Sonic asked, shaking his head angrily. "Vren, listen to me--you know who I am!"

Vren snorted and growled warningly, the hair along his thick mane standing on end. Some of the Freedom Fighters near Sonic edged away nervously.

But Sonic didn't move. He showed no sign of fear whatsoever . . . he kept his eyes locked on Vren's, searching for something . . . "Remember us Vren," he commanded. "The Freedom Fighters. We helped you when Naugus betrayed you . . . Naugus is your enemy!"

The demon tossed his head and roared in defiance. Something was beginning to happen in his head . . . pictures were coming back to him . . . _memories. _The dark Vren didn't know what they were, but the good one trapped inside did, and it was fighting to break free.

Sonic stepped forward, his emerald eyes boring into Vren's. "You know who we are. Let it go, Vren. Remember who you really are. You're good, pure--you fight on the side of light, not darkness! Naugus! He did this to you, Vren! Fight him!"

For a second Vren's growls subsided, and he loosened his death hold on Shadow. But then another voice entered his head.

"_He lies. He is the enemy, and so are his followers. Fight _him, _Vren! He stands in our way! Fight him!_"

All at once Vren's eyes seemed to glow redder and his fur blacker. With a loud, blood-curtling snarl, he rounded back on Shadow and shoved him to the ground again, threatening to crush him. The nearby Freedom Fighters gasped and Shadow tried to fight, but he couldn't move or breathe.

"Vren, no!" Sonic yelled. "Whatever Naugus is telling you, _don't _listen to him! Remember who your _real _friends are Vren! Remember how Naugus promised to fight as your equal, but then betrayed you and your fellow Night Demons! Remember that!"

Vren shook his head furiously and emitted a low growl that soon turned into a painful groan as a battle of wills raged on inside his head.

"_Nonsense! All of it! He's just trying to trick you, Vren! Do it! Get the emerald Shadow has! Now!_"

Vren began to tremble and pant heavily, terribly confused inside. One moment he looked toward Sonic hopefully, as though pleading for help, and the next, he bared his teeth and faced Shadow with a deadly snarl, continually pressing his weight down on the black hedgehog. And as the voices screamed at him in his head, he only grew more frustrated, and began to stagger sideways, tossing his head madly to relieve the pain.

The Freedom Fighters despaired. If this kept up much longer, Vren would crush Shadow, a possibly valuable ally. Sonic continued to speak to him, but so did Naugus . . . soon his anger would get the best of him.

Then, something quite remarkable happened. Suddenly, from the back of the group, Cyan painfully pulled herself to her feet, her legs trembling beneath her. How she managed to keep from collapsing from her terrible exhaustion was beyond all who saw her. Even she didn't know where this sudden strength had come from, but slowly, inch by inch it seemed, she limped toward Vren.

"Cy," Sonic gasped.

"Keep talking to him," Cy answered breathlessly. She was now coming dangerously close to Vren, and the Freedom Fighters stared in astonishment and terror.

Vren turned cold, threatening eyes on her, his snarls gradually growing louder. Inside Cyan was trembling fearfully, but still she found herself walking toward the black killer before her. She didn't know what exactly was happening, nor just what she was doing--it was as if a spell had suddenly come over her. She was sure Vren would leap at her any minute and kill her, but not even that fear stopped her from moving forward, and eventually reaching her hand out toward the demon's muzzle!

At that instant Vren roared and whipped his head round, jaws open wide!

"Cy, no!" Sonic cried, dashing forward.

The Freedom Fighters' hearts stopped . . .

But then, to everyone's utter amazement, Cyan touched Vren's huge muzzle gently, and all at once he froze, as though he had been petrified. Everything--the demon's intimidating snarls, the venom dripping from his teeth, the bristling fur on his back--everything stopped completely. Her heart pounding, Cyan looked up softly into Vren's eyes, and he seemed totally mesmerized. The Freedom Fighters could hardly believe what they were seeing, and held their breaths. Sonic stood on edge, prepared to spring forward as fast as possible if Vren dared harm her. But despite her own overwhelming terror, Cyan whispered to Vren quietly.

". . . Remember, Vren . . . Remember light . . . Remember justice and truth . . . kindness and love . . . friendship and trust. You've lived for years among the darkness, a cruel, murderous beast. But you can't forget who gave you real friendship and kindness, no matter how much evilness fills your soul now . . . Goodness cannot be killed."

Vren pricked his ears, listening to Cyan's voice intently. His red eyes seemed to widen and grow lighter.

"_Vren!_" Naugus cried in his head. "_What's happening to you, you fool! Fight her! She tells you nothing but lies!_"

But it was no use. No matter how Naugus shouted at him, he couldn't stop the growing feeling of recognition in Vren's heart, as the sensations of kindness and friendship flooded back to him. Slowly the fur along his back fell into place, and he loosened his grip on Shadow once more.

Cyan turned to Sonic. "Talk to him now, Sonic . . . "

Sonic was astounded, but trusting Cyan, he walked up beside her and spoke to the demon.

"Remember me, bud? Sonic? We're comrades, you and I. We fight evil together. You remember belonging, don'tcha pal? Belonging with friends . . . friends who are loyal and understanding, who'll never betray you like Naugus? That's what you really want. Remember . . ."

Then Sonic reached up and put his hand on Vren's muzzle and against Cyan's, and when he did, a golden glow suddenly surrounded the three of them, glowing with such a radiant intensity that the Freedom Fighters had to shield their eyes. Naugus continually yelled at Vren, but not even his incredible magic was a match for the combined love of Sonic and Cyan that now flowed around the King of the Night Demons. It fought the wizard fiercely, never giving an inch to him, until at last it forced him out completely. At that moment, Vren's black fur suddenly turned to pure white, his crimson eyes turned to gold, his evil forked tail became plumed and graceful, the horns on his head became a golden crown, and his enormous demon wings turned into the beautiful feathered wings of an angel. With a breath of exhaustion and relief, Vren finally lifted his paw off of Shadow, and fell back on his haunches. Vren had been freed from the spell.

The crowd beyond stood aghast for a second longer, and then, once they remembered to breathe, applauded and gasped in astonishment. Shadow scrambled to his feet, coughing heavily, but otherwise unharmed. Poor Vren shook his head and looked gratefully toward Sonic and Cyan.

"Thank you my friends . . ." he panted. "You've saved me . . . "

"What happened, Vren?" Sonic asked.

"Naugus," Vren snarled, baring his teeth. "He brought me here with his magic . . . and that miserable griffin! Kaligarr. They hypnotized me and turned me back into a true Night Demon . . . I feared that I'd never be myself again. Thank you so much . . ." he turned his great white muzzle toward Cyan. "Who's your friend?"

"It's me, Vren," she smiled, though she looked exhausted herself. "Jess."

"Jess?" Vren inquired, tilting his head. "By the stars, what's happened to you? You're a Mobian!"

"Long, long story, bud," said Sonic. "We'll explain later."

"Sonic, what's Naugus up to exactly? I know he mentioned something about Sanctuary and the Void and taking over Mobius . . . but how? Why?" Vren asked.

"He's taken the Chaos Emeralds," came Sonic's answer. "With them he's been able to make the Void spread all over Mobius. It'll eventually engulf it completely. The Void, Vren, was discovered by Naugus. It's a portal into a realm where anything is possible, including Naugus's magic. But the problem is the Void isn't safe . . . " he paused and lowered his eyes. "Those who are exposed to it for too long can grow ill . . . Unfortunately, that's what's happened to Jess--or Cyan as she's now called. We need your help, Vren. Naugus has taken Nat and Kim prisoner, and he's made Cy sick. He plans on using all their powers to take over the planet, and squash any resistance. And we're running out of time."

Vren pawed the snow with a snort. "By all means, let us go then! I won't just sit around while my greatest ally's world is being engulfed by another dimension!"

"I can take you to Naugus," Shadow suddenly broke in, and everyone turned to him. "But I must warn you . . . he's being heavily guarded. Not only by Trau and Khare, the other girls. But also by his powerful magic and other demons."

Vren growled. "Fool . . . thinks he can control my Night Demons better than I! Curse you, Naugus!"

"Well what are we waiting for?" Knuckles asked. "We've got two new allies who know all about Naugus's forces. And I think we've proven Shadow's trustworthy--he's nearly been killed _twice _for our sake. Let us go and fight!"

"Here, here!" Vren roared mightily, rearing up on his hindlegs.

Their spirits rallied, the Freedom Fighters began to cheer on, eager to fight Naugus before sunrise. But their morale was short-lived, for suddenly Cyan collapsed, and they were instantly at her side.

"Cy, what's wrong?" Sonic asked, holding her head up in his arms.

She had grown paler than before, and there were dark circles around her eyes. "Sonic . . . " she moaned, trying to reach for him, but failing miserably.

"What? What's wrong?" Sonic pleaded, but her eyes were already rolling back into her head. Desperately he shook her to wake her up, but it was no use. She was unconscious again, and deathly cold to the touch.

Sonic growled in frustration. "Someone get her some water!"

"It doesn't matter what you do, hedgehog. She'll be dead in a matter of hours."

As one body the whole group of Freedom Fighters whirled around at the sound of Naugus's voice, and there he was, grinning back at them.

"Naugus!" Sonic snarled furiously. Like a blue whirlwind he charged Naugus at precarious speed, skidding to a sudden halt only when he was just inches from the evil wizard. When he faced Naugus, his eyes were raging storms of emerald fire. "Don't you _dare! _Don't you _dare _harm her or I'll thrash you till there's nothin' left!"

Ixis only smiled down at him, delighting in his fury. "Oh dear, so threatening. And I'd like to know what any of you will do to stop me. So what if you've won two of my followers? I've managed to get control of the most unruly monsters in this universe--Vren's Night Demons and Hyper Trau. My magic grows stronger by the minute, for I am quickly becoming _alive._"

"I don't care what blasted magic you have," Knuckles cried. "I'll gladly aid Sonic in tearing you apart even if it kills me!"

"Give it up, Freedom Fighters. It's already too late to save the girl," he gestured to Cyan, lying motionless in the Fighters' arms. "She has little more than two hours to live, for I am absorbing her life force more and more each moment. And as for Mobius . . . well, considering the spreading process is also quickening even as we speak, I'd guess it'd swallow the planet in roughly the same time frame."

The confident nonchalance in his voice made Sonic's blood boil.

"You'll never win Naugus! I'll fight you to the death if I must! Just lay a hand on Cyan and see what happens!"

Altogether the Freedom Fighters began growl in challenge and advance forward. Vren snarled lowly and stalked toward the wizard. Shadow tossed his head fearlessly and Knuckles clenched his fists. They were ready to fight, right then and there.

But even amid this display of hatred and fearlessness Naugus didn't seem fazed.

"Well, I'd love to watch each and every one of you fail miserably at trying to defeat me now, but unfortunately I must be going. Come along, Cyan . . ."

All of a sudden Cyan vanished into thin air, and at that moment the camp erupted into a frenzy. Overcome by rage every single Freedom Fighter thundered toward Naugus, teeth bared and eyes ablaze. Naugus smirked and disappeared right before they reached him, his villainous laughter echoing throughout the mountains . . . throughout the whole world.

"_NO!_" Sonic cried, kicking at the snow.

Angrily the Freedom Fighters turned to their leader, trembling in their eagerness to fight. They knew the battle was coming at last, for Sonic had been pushed as far as he would go. They were terribly shocked by how fast Naugus said the Void would swallow Mobius, and how fast Cyan would die, but that made them all the more determined to do battle.

Reading their thoughts, Sonic turned back to them, his eyes beautiful and terrible in their ferocity.

"We move now," he said through his clenched teeth. "We shall fight Naugus today! And we shall defeat him!"

In agreement the Freedom Fighters shouted and threw up their fists. Vren's mighty roar made the mountains quiver, and the faint light of the rising sun turned the clouds of the Void bloodred, fueling their wrath and determination still.

"What's the battle plan?" Knuckles asked.

Sonic thought for a second, and then turned to Shadow and Vren. "You said Naugus's base is heavily guarded? By the demons, Khare and Trau?"

"Yes," nodded Shadow. "He uses the Night Demons as an army. He'll probably send them out first."

"Where does he keep the emeralds?"

"They're hidden in a containment chamber next to Khare and Trau. Trau guards them fiercely."

"Then there's Kaligarr," added Vren. "He stays within Naugus's base as well. He's strong and he's fast, but his hypnosis, if held for a long period of time, makes him weak. He can only hold a powerful spell for so long before exhausting himself."

"OK," said Sonic. "We'll split up into two groups. I want one group to head directly toward Naugus's base and create a diversion for the Night Demons. Meanwhile, Knux, Shadow, Vren--you all come with me. We'll head in around back, and fight his strongest forces. Go for the emeralds. Once we have them under our control, Naugus's powers will be greatly weakened."

"All right," Knuckles nodded along with Shadow and Vren.

"Nihara," Sonic called, and the warrioress straightened. "You lead the first group. You're excellent at battle strategy and tactics--show 'em what you're made of!"

"Yes, Brother!" Nihara saluted, holding her head high with pride in being appointed as the leader of the troops.

"All right. Everyone, get up on Dulce! We're headed there full speed. We'll split up just before we reach the base. Vren, Shadow . . . _take us to Naugus!_"

Cyan found herself lost in the same, eternal blackness as before, only now, no matter how hard she tried, no matter how she pleaded for someone to wake her up, she just couldn't escape. This time it was a thousand times worse than before, for she couldn't block herself from that evil voice . . . She tried to run, but got nowhere. She tried to cover her ears, but the voice just echoed inside her head louder than ever. She screamed and cried to drown it out, but still it persisted. Her spirit was beginning to grow weary, for she couldn't fight this enemy, and it told her things that were slowly killing her.

"_I told this all was a dream, girl. See? Look--this is the real world. Sonic and his universe are just a fairy tale._" Suddenly a picture of Earth, and the life she had left behind appeared before her eyes.

"It's not true . . . " she moaned painfully. "It _is _real . . . it _is . . . _"

"_No, it isn't. You cannot escape reality, Cyan. You are forever bound by it. And if you think Sonic's world will ever be real, you're sadly mistaken. It will never come to life, nor will your dreams. I know, I've seen your future._"

"No . . . " Cyan cried. "I refuse to believe that! For the first time in my life, I'm _seeing _it all for real, _hearing _it, _feeling _it . . . it exists! I know it does!"

"_You're lying to yourself. Believing is just another way of dreaming, of giving yourself false hope. It never comes true. You're wasting yourself all over nothing._"

"I know it's true! It's here! In my heart!"

"_And that's all it'll ever be. Face it, Cyan . . . you just believe in this world because it has everything you'll never have. You know no one would ever love you, would ever tolerate you to spend the rest of their days with you, so you believe that you and Sonic are together. You know you'd never be anything in your life, so you believe you're a part of the greatest group of heroes who've ever lived. It's your own little world you've created in a sense, the only world where you believe you completely belong. Just a lie, Cyan, just a lie._"

Cyan shuddered as she heard these words, and desperately she tried to fight back . . . but suddenly she couldn't speak. She tried again and again, but nothing came from her mouth. Her voice was gone.

"_You want something you can never have, Cy. That's what it is. Why can't you see you'll never have it? Why doesn't it faze you? Don't you realize it'll be forever? Forever you'll be tied to reality. _Forever."

Cyan shook her head slowly. Fiercely she was screaming in her head, _no, it's not true! _but she couldn't speak it.

"_Give up. There's no hope. No one--especially a hero as legendary as Sonic--will ever love you. You're too much of a coward to ever be a hero. So give it up._"

Pain gripped Cyan's heart suddenly . . . that _was _true . . . she was a coward . . . too cautious, too fearful to ever plunge into the path of danger. That she could never hide . . .

"_See?_" asked the voice. "_You know it as well as I. Face it. All you're doing is running from the truth--from life._"

_How can it be true? _Cyan asked in her head. _I'm so alive, so free in Mobius . . . everything is so perfect . . . and I've gotten all I ever wished for._

"_You only _think _you've gotten all you wished for. It's just your wishes playing cruel tricks on your mind. Nothing more. It's not real._"

_But . . . but I love Sonic . . . with all my heart . . . No amount of distance could ever stop that._

"_You may love him, but that doesn't mean he exists. You're just loving something that never was or will be. Don't you see you're only hurting yourself, in making yourself believe you have something you never will?_"

Something strange was beginning to happen. A sort of blackness was filtering through Cyan's thoughts . . . something she could detect, but couldn't fight. And whatever it was, it was beginning to block the very things that kept her belief in Mobius alive--memories, friendships, feelings . . . Her eyes steadily grew blank and lifeless, and her skin pale. She almost seemed to die right then and there, for the very essence of her heart and soul were being stolen from her.

"_Yes . . . _" the voice whispered. "_Forget about it all . . . there's no use in fighting it, Cyan. You'll never win, no matter how hard you try. Yes . . . forget everything you've ever seen on Mobius, everything you've ever smelled or heard or felt . . . it's all a hopeless fantasy. Let it disappear from your memory forever, into the darkness of the forgotten. Yes, come to me . . ._"

Somewhere deep in her unconscious Cyan was fighting in a furious desparation, but the darkness only continued to thicken, blinding her from all she had ever known and loved. It was horrible--someone watching all they ever cared for disappear right before their eyes, and not being able to do anything about it. Cyan cried in agony inside, but her body was turning away, walking into the black abyss beyond.

_I'll never forget this world! Never! I can't! _she shouted.

"_All you need is a little aid, my dear girl._" Close by, in the Void, Naugus grinned evilly as his spell took effect.

_Naugus! _Cyan wanted to cry out furiously, but suddenly the name of the evil sorcerer who had started all this mess escaped her. She fought to remember it, searching through her memory, but to no avail. She had _forgotten. _And soon, more and more things were deleted from her memory, scenes of Mobius, names of the Freedom Fighters and enemies . . . It was all disappearing, and she could do nothing to stop it.

"_Like I said--you cannot escape my magic. Oh, you'll be with your miserable hedgehog, but in death! Enjoy the afterlife, Cyan._" And then, out of sheer cruelty alone, Naugus suddenly transformed the scenary around Cyan.

All of a sudden she jolted awake . . . but the moment she opened her eyes and realized where she was, a deep, indescribable pain stole through her heart. There, all around her, was her bedroom back on Earth. She lay in her bed, surrounded by all the fictional characters she loved. Sonic was there--but only in posters and magazines and game boxes.

Cyan looked down at her hands . . . but she was no longer Cyan, the Mobian she had been transformed into. She was a human once more, a being bound by the powerful forces of reality. She was Jessica.

In despair, Jessica hung her head, tears sliding down her cheeks, sobs of sorrow and loss shaking through her body. _A dream . . . it had all been a fantastic dream . . . nothing more. All of it, every single event, every single sight and sensation . . . had just been a dream. _So it was true. It had all been imaginary--a world created in her head. That's all. None of it ever happened, and none of it ever would. Going to Mobius through a miraculous link through time and space . . . becoming a part of the Freedom Fighters . . . winning Sonic's love at last . . . what a joke! What a _cruel _joke! She knew it had been too good, too wonderful to be true. Things like that never happened . . . they just didn't! They were only products of hopeful dreams and fantasies . . . of an over-active imagination.

Feeling sick, Jessica lied down in her bed and gave up. She had no more reason to live . . . it was all gone. Everything she had ever hoped for . . . And though the memories were gradually disappearing from her mind, she still felt that terrible agony of losing those she loved so dearly, that sickening anguish of defeat. She couldn't bear it . . . the sadness consumed her, overwhelmed her. She couldn't face reality and its cruelty any longer. All she wanted to do was sleep; sleep and return forever to the world which she loved so deeply. There was nothing else that tied her to life. All her friends and loved-ones were gone.

Miserably she pressed her head into her pillow, and fell into nothingness.

Back in the Void, Naugus stood over Cyan's unconscious form, grinning wickedly as the girl drifted farther and farther from life. Eyes gleaming brighter than ever, the wizard held up his hand to gazed contentedly at the living flesh that had been nothing but spectral mist hours before.

"_I have won!_"


	16. Chapter 16 Battle!

**.:Chapter 16:.**

**Battle!**

All over Mobius the Void was spreading now. About three days before the Void hadn't reached the outer edges of the Floating Island--and now it had engulfed more than half the planet. Everything in the path of the powerful winds was destroyed, and whatever was left was frozen. There was widespread panic as millions of Mobians were caught in the wake of the great portal, and desperately tried to outrun it. Those who had already been caught inside the Void either bunkered down and prepared to sit it out, or contacted the Knothole Freedom Fighters to help them in the battle against Naugus. Once they heard the war was in motion, ally Freedom Fighter groups, including Lupe and the Wolf Pack, Ari the Ram, Pallo of the Southern Freedom Fighters and Dirk of the Eastern Freedom Fighters, all flocked to the Floating Island to fight.

Naugus himself knew what was coming, and put all of his minions on high alert.

"It doesn't matter whether we're outnumbered or not," he had told Kaligarr. "We have the magic of Sanctuary on our sides, the destructive forces of Hyper Trau and Khare, and the massive Night Demon army."

"But sir," said Kaligarr. "What if they somehow snuck around those forces?"

"I highly doubt they could, my feathered friend. There'll be thousands of immortal Night Demons for them to fight. But, just in case they _do _manage to slip past them, I have everything planned out. You'll guard the back entrances to the caves, where the girls and the emeralds are kept. Trau will guard the emeralds, and Khare will guard me and Cyan. There's simply too many obstacles for them to evade."

The griffin only nodded.

"Do you doubt me, Kaligarr?"

"No sir," he replied. "I'm just wary. It is never wise to underestimate your enemy, no matter what the odds. There is always the possibility of a come-from-behind victory."

"Then we'll just have to squash that possibility," Naugus hissed. "To your post, Kaligarr! They're close--I can sense them."

Quickly Kaligarr turned and raced off to the rear entrances of Naugus's caverns, eyes narrowed and muscles quivering, ready and eager to do battle.

Meanwhile, in the forests just three miles off, the Freedom Fighters hid beneath the trees, gazing up at the towering mountain that rose before them. Shadow had been able to Chaos Control them all there, and now they were listening to the final instructions.

"Getting up that mountain will be the toughest part . . . " Sonic was saying, gazing at the gigantic peak. "That must be nearly thirty thousand feet high."

"It's a monster," Knuckles nodded. "But for us it shouldn't be hard. Vren can fly, I can climb, and you and Shadow could easily run up the mountainsides. There are also tunnels, deep within the mountain, that could easily lead us directly to Naugus's caves."

"And our opponent," said Nihara. "The Night Demon army, how do we fight them?"

"My Night Demons are deadly beasts, but not immortal," Vren explained. "They can dissolve into gas, so anything that touches them will go right through them. And if that gas touches you, it can blind you or even paralyze you. But don't worry--Night Demons cannot handle light . . . It puts them in extreme pain. And if lesser Night Demons are afraid or in pain too long, they turn solid again, leaving them vulnerable to attack."

"Dulce, your fire might come in handy," Sonic winked and the dragon grinned. "Also be aware, guys, that Naugus has magic. Anything in this battle is possible--so keep your wits about you and fight the very best you can. I trust Nihara will lead you all well."

The other Freedom Fighters nodded in agreement.

"The allies should also be here soon to back you guys up," Sonic continued. "We'll make the first move, advancing straight toward Naugus. He'll send his forces to counterattack, and then Knux, Shadow, Vren and I will wait till the coast is clear. Then we'll slip around the army and sneak into the base. Knux, you lead the way from there, since you know the mountain best. I'd prefer to find a tunnel that'd lead us right into Naugus's caves. From there, we can get the emeralds and rescue the girls. We'll all have to move quick--we're running out of time."

"Right," Nihara turned to the wide valley just below the mountain. "When should we advance?"

"Wait for my signal," came Sonic's answer. "The others and I will start off around the eastern side of the mountain. As soon as the army's distracted, we'll move in. Good luck, all of you. Take care of yourselves and one another . . . It'll be just like always, guys. Fighting evil at the final hour. No fear, fellas. No fear."

"Amen, my brother," Nihara bowed her head, along with the others, their eyes blazing with courage and spirit. None of them doubted their leaders nor one another. As long as they had faith, determination, trust, and the valiance of the Freedom Fighters, they would succeed.

Assured that they were all ready and waiting to go, Sonic, Knuckles, Vren and Shadow turned and set off into the forest, slinking quietly through the shadows.

"Good luck y'all!" Bunnie called after them. "Kick some rear!"

"Show 'em Sonic!" Tails echoed. "Show Naugus we aren't afraid!"

"For Mobius!" Rotor shouted, tossing up his hand.

"For Mobius!" Sonic cried back as he and the others mimicked the gesture.

And with that they were off. Nihara gestured for her troops to stay hidden for the moment while she stood upon a boulder, looking to the east. Sonic and his group crept about half a mile through the wood before he reappeared upon a rocky ledge just at the eastern edge of the valley. With a wave of his hand and a nod of his head, he signaled for them to move. Nihara nodded and turned swiftly to the Freedom Fighters.

"OK, guys, let's go!"

As one body they made their way down the slope and into the snowy valley, walking in ranks of five, Nihara leading the way. At first they walked . . . but as they drew closer to the base of the mountain, they began to move quicker, until they were running full tilt.

High above, on the huge ledge of his cave, Naugus peered down, waiting for any sign of his enemies. When he saw the large group of Freedom Fighters dashing toward the mountain, his eyes flickered.

"_Party time._" He snapped his fingers.

All of a sudden, just at the base of the mountain, on a large rocky slope, a massive cloud of black appeared before the Freedom Fighters. Nihara skidded to a halt, her hand braced on her sword. Steadily the cloud of black grew larger and larger, and soon the Freedom Fighters below could make out evil, yellow eyes leering at them through the darkness. The troops stood ready, their heads held high and their senses alert. But then, suddenly, their hearts froze once they realized the sheer _size _of the army they were up against. They looked all around . . . and found thousands of Night Demons to their left and to their right . . . and then behind them. The vicious creatures snarled and slavered when they saw them, their wings flapping and tails swishing threateningly. The hair on the Freedom Fighters' backs stood on end. They were completey surrounded . . . by nearly _fifty-thousand Night Demons . . . _

Nihara pinned her ears and glared straight at her enemies without a twinge of fear.

"Remember guys . . . _no fear._ Ready?"

"Let's get 'em! For all of Mobius!" They cried together.

Nihara drew her sword and held it high above her head, twirling it through the air in challenge to the massive Night Demon army.

"_Charge!_"

Sonic watched as the Night Demons leapt forward together, sweeping over the valley like a huge black wave. The Freedom Fighters raced forward to meet them, and just before they clashed, Dulcy tossed up her head and shot a breath of fire into the skies. The nearest demons shrieked in agony as the light hit their eyes. Some were immediately blinded, others snarled in fury and pain.

"Fight you cowards!" Nihara shouted, waving her blade at them as they cringed. "Are you not the deadliest of all demons!"

"Nihara, look out!" came a cry from behind suddenly.

The Freedom Fighters hit the ground as one demon suddenly launched through the air high above their heads, missing only by a few feet. Seconds later the other demons charged forward, their bloodthirsty howls ringing out through the mountains. The Freedom Fighters fought them back with torches and swords and clubs, and at first these objects merely swept through the Night Demons without damage. But then Nihara caught one that had been hit full in the eyes by Dulcy's fire and was on the ground, writhing in pain. Dashing toward it, she pressed her boot against its chest daringly, and found it had turned solid. Without hesitation she lifted her sword and sent it plunging into the creature's heart.

"Keep up with the fire Dulcy!" she yelled, and turned to fight more demons as they swept forward.

Now the whole army of demons was focused on attacking their enemy. Sonic saw his chance, and turned to the others.

"Now, let's go."

Silently they slid through the trees, staying as low as they could. Soon they came upon a rocky ravine as they neared the mountain's base, and Knuckles began looking for the easiest way up the peak. They found the terrain to be extremely craggy and treacherous. The rocks were sharp and loose with many sheer drops. In some places they encountered thermal springs and pools of molten lava, and in others they stumbled upon thundering rapids that crashed down the mountainside. In was the most hostile land most of them had ever seen. But Knuckles was no stranger to it. Very carefully he began to pick his way up the mountain, choosing to follow a gorge the enormous river roared through.

"Keep an eye out for caves," he told the others.

As they walked along, Sonic turned to Shadow.

"Tell me, Shadow. Why is it you seem so dark?"

Shadow kept his eyes on the ground. "I've experienced many hardships in my life . . . the girl I grew up with, the only friend I ever had, Maria, was killed violently before me eyes. Ever since then I've been cold . . . "

"That's why you joined Naugus . . . because he said he could bring Maria back . . ."

"Yes," Shadow answered sadly. "I once stood for goodness and light, and I never thought I'd ever return from the darkness. But . . . after Naugus's betrayal . . . and especially what Khare did on my behalf . . . I've suddenly changed greatly . . . "

"She sold her soul to Naugus for you didn't she?" Sonic asked. "What a sacrifice . . . "

"Yes," Shadow agreed hesitantly. "What a sacrifice . . . " Again that strange look came into his eyes.

Sonic saw this and raised his eyebrows at the dark hedgehog thoughtfully. "You and Khare got to know each other well . . . didn't you?"

There was a moment of silence, and then Shadow said, "We were starting to . . . For some reason, despite how cold and cruel I could be to her, she always gave me kindness and concern . . . No one but Maria has ever done that to me . . . "

"She must have had something pretty strong to fuel the sacrifice she made for you Shadow," said Sonic. "Now that's not just kindness . . . That's something that runs much deeper. I only hope we can save her and the others from Naugus's grasp."

Shadow fell silent as he thought about what Sonic had said, and looked to his ally questioningly. But the Freedom Fighter leader kept his eyes fixed ahead. He had said his piece.

"I will be forever grateful, no question," Shadow said at last, though he was feeling much more than gratitude for Khare's deed. "Now, Sonic, may I ask _you _something?"

"Sure."

"Who and what exactly are you?"

A noble glint shone in Sonic's eyes as he answered Shadow's question. "I'm a fighter. Nothing more, nothing less. I can't live life without an adventure, and thank the Chaos Emeralds, I'm living in the greatest adventure I could ever ask for: forever fighting evil on Mobius. For centuries there have been villains, Shadow, who have dreamed of taking over this beautiful planet. One of them, Julian Robotnik, succeeded, just a few years after the other Freedom Fighters and I were born. He was a tyrant--he destroyed forests and turned every living thing he captured into robots with his dreaded machine, the Roboticizor. Ever since the day of Robotnik's coup, I have fought him, to liberate this world which I love, and keep it forever free. I battle evil and I save the innocent. As long as I'm here, no one will fall to evilness . . . for my spirit will _not _be denied. I'll face any enemy any day without fear, all for the greater purpose of keeping this land _free_. Call me a hero, call me a warrior, whatever you wish. I'll always be what I am. I'm Sonic the Hedgehog, leader of the Freedom Fighters."

Shadow nodded. "I've noticed, even from Naugus's side, just what a formidable opponent you are. But outside of the Freedom Fighters, you're a racer to, are you not? It's funny . . . how much you and I are alike. And yet so different. It's like we all have our opposites, our counterparts in life."

"Everything has an opposite," replied Sonic. "And pretty soon I have a feeling we're gonna face our opposites."

Suddenly, up ahead, Knuckles stopped at the foot of a huge cliff, where the river disappeared into a tunnel. Just to right the gorge branched off and curved sharply toward the mountain and out of sight. For a long while he stood there, gazing at the river's cave. Sonic, Shadow, and Vren watched and waited, and finally Sonic ventured to ask, "What is it Knux?"

Knuckles turned toward the branch in the gorge. "Look at the branch here . . . "

"Yeah, what about it?" Sonic asked.

"See how it's not on level with the rest of the canyon floor? And look how much smoother the rocks are worn on the bottom. It's a dry river bed."

"I see . . . " said Shadow. "But how does that help us?"

Knux turned back around to the river. "Look at the huge boulder, right there where the canyon starts to branch."

"I get it," Vren said all of a sudden. "The river's been diverted from its original path . . . there must be something hidden in the tunnel over there where the river disappears."

"Exactly."

"Oh," Sonic nodded. "Think there may be an entrance back there, Knux?"

"Let's find out. We're gonna have to move this boulder out of the way." He turned to the great boulder at the mouth of the dry river bed. It was an enormous rock, nearly twelve feet in length and seven feet in height.

"That must be tons . . . " said Vren. "It'd take some effort to move that . . . "

"Stand back, guys, and steer clear of the river bed," Knuckles suddenly called, walking up behind the boulder, and with one effortless swing sent his fist plunging into the rock, shattering it to pebbles. Then immediately he leapt out of the river's way as it surged into the branch, roaring down the river bed and away from its previous path.

"By the stars, I had no idea you packed _that _much power . . . " Vren said, gawking down at Knuckles.

"It's an echidna thing."

Sonic carefully navigated his way down the slick rocks toward the tunnel, where the river had previously flowed. And sure enough he stumbled upon a cave mouth deeper inside.

"Bingo. Let's go, fellas."

And so on into the tunnel they went, following its path as it delved deep into the mountain. Eventually the narrow tunnel opened up into a wide chamber, where river water had pooled. From there, the cave turned to the left, and Knuckles led them on. And just as they had hoped, their path gradually began to lead them upward. Vren's keen eyes had no problem seeing through the darkness, and so he walked on ahead, howling every time he found something. Several times they stumbled upon areas where the cave divided into three separate tunnels, and always they chose the one that led straight up. Knuckles marked the trails they took by scraping the white calcite rocks against the cave wall so, if they came upon a dead end, they wouldn't get lost. Amazingly, never once did their trail lead them to a dead end--it just spiraled ever upward.

It took the four warriors more than half an hour to ascend the tunnel, and as time ticked away, Sonic grew increasingly anxious to reach Naugus.

"How far up d'ya think we are?" he asked Knux as they carefully climbed up a steep trail.

"Probably near the middle of the mountain," the Guardian replied. "Though I can't be too sure. We've been climbing for almost fifty minutes . . ."

All of a sudden, just as he was saying this, the four of them came to an abrupt stop. There, before them, was nothing but a sheer wall of solid stone, the first dead end they had run into. They looked all around for an alternate route, but the only way out was back the way they had come.

Sonic growled in exasperation. "This was a long tunnel, it'd take too long to go back and look for another way . . ."

"Perhaps we can burrow our way out?" Vren suggested.

"Doesn't that put us in danger of collapsing the tunnels?" Shadow asked. "Besides, we don't know where we'll end up . . . "

"He's got a point," said Knuckles. "It _is _faster, and if we just head straight up we should reach Naugus."

"Shield your eyes, fellas," Sonic called suddenly, and before any of them hardly had a chance to duck and cover, he leapt up toward the roof and curled into a Triple Spin. Seconds later he was boring into the mountain, carving a tunnel leading straight up toward the summit. Quickly Knuckles followed him, making the tunnel wider for Vren, and together they all climbed up after Sonic as fast as they could. Shadow ran right up the tunnel wall and was soon directly behind the Freedom Fighter leader. Knuckles came next, and Vren brought up the rear, shimmying up the tunnel carefully with his strong claws and excellent balance.

No sooner had another moment passed when Sonic called from above, "Hey guys! We're in!"

His comrades emerged to find themselves in the middle of a gigantic cave of granite and ice and crystals. Giant diamond, amethyst and quartz shards sprung from the frozen walls, glistening beautifully in the meager light that shone through the single tunnel entrance directly ahead. Razor-sharp stalactites of ice hung from the cave ceiling like dripping fangs, and the floor was glazed over with frozen water and diamond dust.

"Definitely the caves," Sonic nodded. "OK, let's get a move on. We need to find the Chaos Emeralds."

They were just starting to move forward toward the tunnel ahead when all of a sudden Vren pulled up and let out furious snarl.

"What's up?" Sonic asked, but seconds later he too went rigid when an enormous shadow suddenly fell across the entrance to the tunnel, and Kaligarr leapt into view.

"Kaligarr!" Vren hissed.

"Vren," the griffin returned coldly. "So you've managed to sneak past our Night Demon army after all. I was waiting for you all to show up."

"Let us through, Kaligarr," Sonic ordered, his ears pinned in warning. "If you don't you'll pay."

"No one will pass," Kaligarr retorted defiantly, spreading his wings to block their way.

Vren roared so loud that the icicles and stalactites above quivered ominously.

"Shut up, you fool!" Kaligarr snapped. "You think your snarling will frighten me?"

"Do you not recognize a challenge when you hear one?" came Vren's answer as he leered at his enemy, golden eyes narrowed and teeth bared.

The griffin's feathers ruffled. "Do _you _not know when to quit?"

Vren snarled and stalked forward, venom oozing from his fangs. Sonic, Knuckles and Shadow followed, prepared to break past Kaligarr with sheer force alone. Upon their approach, Kaligarr's eyes flashed, and he abruptly reared up high on his hindlegs, flapping his wings furiously. The gale he created nearly threw them all off balance. Angrily Vren rose to his full height, slashing at the air with his mighty claws and roaring in challenge. Kaligarr responded with a loud hiss, the feathers of his mane standing on end, his wings spread and his tail flicking. Vren prowled forward fearlessly, a deadly threat glowing in his eyes. Kaligarr turned to face him, and soon the two were circling, exchanging warning snarls and threatening hisses.

Suddenly Kaligarr lunged forward, reaching for Vren with his wicked talons. Vren sprung to meet him, and then they clashed, tearing and slashing at each other viciously. The cave resounded with their ferocious snarling and the sounds of ripping flesh. Thunder suddenly boomed outside, and as lightning filtered through the tunnel, the two mighty shadows of Vren and Kaligarr were thrown onto the walls as the monsters dueled, locked in mortal combat. With frightening speed Kaligarr constantly lunged for Vren's throat, and the demon had just enough swiftness to evade him.

Sonic and the others rushed forward to his aid.

"Vren!"

Vren grabbed Kaligarr by the shoulders with his claws and threw him to the ground. "No! Go! I'll hold Kaligarr back! The three of you go!"

"We can't leave you here, bud," Sonic yelled back. "We have to fight together!"

Vren tossed his head up and roared. "For Mobius's sake _go!_ You'll have one less enemy! I'll catch up later, just go!"

He barely had time to finish his sentence, for within a fraction of a second Kaligarr was upon him again, tearing wildly at his wings and his back.

"He'll be all right, Sonic, let's just get moving!" Knuckles shouted.

Sonic didn't like the idea of leaving Vren behind at all, especially since Naugus had taken him prisoner before. But there was no time to argue.

Gritting his teeth, Sonic whirled away angrily and raced down the tunnel, Shadow and Knuckles following quickly as the sounds of battle were left behind them.

Far below, back in the valley, the Freedom Fighters were quickly growing weary. Out of the fifty thousand Night Demons, so far only three had been killed, while the Fighters had lost close to ten people. The demons were growing smarter, learning to avoid Dulcy's flashes of fire whenever the dragon tossed up her head. And no matter what, they could not advance forward. The Night Demons kept them tightly packed in the center of the valley, viciously attacking any who tried to break past them.

"We're not getting anywhere, Nihara!" Rotor shouted above the chaos.

"We have to change tactics," Nihara growled, and suddenly she got an idea. "Dulcy! You can breathe ice as well as fire, can't you?"

"Yes, but will that affect them?"

"It's worth a try, Dulce!" Nihara cried, fighting back a bold demon who had charged the group.

Dulcy nodded and pulled her head back, taking in a deep breath of air. The demons nearby jumped back, closing their eyes, expecting fire. But what came next was a rather chilling surprise. Suddenly Dulcy breathed a great gust of ice through her nostrils, and the Night Demons hardly had a chance to realize what was happening. All at once nearly fifty demons were frozen solid, while others were slowed down as ice hit them, causing parts of them to turn solid again.

The instant they saw their enemies were vulnerable, the Freedom Fighters charged forward and immediately attacked the ones that were frozen. This time they eliminated about fifty-five demons in twenty seconds from the enormous army.

"Much better," Nihara nodded. "OK, Dulcy, keep it up. Everyone, keep those monsters away from her!"

Above the mountains rising far in the distance a fleet of small ships was gliding into view, searchlights scouring the land below as a mighty storm welled above, sending streaks of lightning dancing across the sky.

"How much time's left?" called Sonic as he ran down the long tunnel, following its sharp curve to the left.

"An hour and three minutes!" Shadow replied.

"The Chaos Emeralds are close," said Sonic. "I can feel their energy. How much farther to the chamber?"

"It's just ahead," answered Shadow. "It's well hidden; just before the entrance is a set of huge crystals. We'll have to navigate around them carefully."

Little did the group know as they ran that they were being watched. Somewhere in the darkness a familiar pair of glowing red eyes was following their every move. As they neared the emerald chamber, the eyes slowly began to flash silver until the red disappeared altogether. With a snarl a shadow leapt down from the rocks, racing full speed toward the emeralds . . .

Below Sonic, Knuckles and Shadow rounded the corner, and sure enough they came face-to-face with several great crystals, towering from three to five feet across a cave mouth hidden within their jagged teeth-like shadows. They looked nearly impossible to get through, for in many areas they grew dangerously close together, and the ground beneath them was slick. One slip could easily send one of them onto the ghastly bed of diamond spikes below.

"We'll have to move slowly," said Shadow, leading the way forward. "And keep your wits about you . . . A demon guards those seven gems."

In single file they began to weave their way around the sharp crystals, careful to place their feet only on the driest ground. The ice glaze beneath them seemed to melt the moment they touched it, and soon the crystal bed was dripping with water, making the journey past them all the more dangerous.

Suddenly Sonic shook his head as water dripped from the cave ceiling and landed on his nose. The icicles above were rapidly melting too, disappearing right before their eyes it seemed. In fact, the air around them was growing hotter with every step they took. Sonic eyed the cave walls warily as the sheets of ice turned to rivulets of water that trickled down to the floor. Then, suddenly, the ground beneath them quaked, almost sending all three of them upon the crystals.

Sonic latched onto one of the tall shards to keep his balance. "What was that?"

"Probably a tremor . . ." said Knuckles. "the mountains nearby are all volcanic."

"Could also be Naugus," Shadow added. "trying to stop us."

On the opposite side of the crystals, inside the emerald chamber, the silver eyes leered in warning . . .

"Keep moving," said Sonic. "And whatever you do, don't fall." He took one step forward, when all of a sudden the ground jerked violently again, and the crystals abruptly lurched inward, crossing over the cave mouth to bar their path.

Making a risky bid, Sonic charged toward the crystals and rammed them as hard as he could. They didn't budge—they were interlocked over the cave like fingers closing off the entrance.

Shadow and Knuckles tried to break past them, but it was no use. They were solid diamond, and their efforts didn't even leave a scratch on them.

"Are there any other entrances?" Sonic asked Shadow.

"None," Shadow shook his head.

"We've gotta find another way in—fighting these crystals is too risky with the ground so slick and the sharp rocks behind us."

"Hang on," said Knuckles suddenly. "The opening just beneath the crystals might be big enough to squeeze under." He pointed to the triangular gap below the interlocking crystals.

"The way the ground's been quaking I don't know if it's so smart," said Shadow. "The whole wall might collapse on us if we try it."

"Then we'll have to be quick," Sonic retorted. "C'mon, there's nothing else we can do."

"What about _her?_" Shadow went on. "I'm almost certain she's waiting for us on the other side."

"We're gonna have to face her sooner or later," Sonic said. "I'll go first to make sure—"

"Let me go first," Knuckles interrupted suddenly. "If anyone's gonna face her, it's gonna be me."

"Don't be crazy, Knuckles," Shadow called, but before anyone could say another word, the Guardian was clawing his way beneath the crystals, moving quickly and cautiously. He wasn't sure what to expect once he reached the other side, but he kept his eyes open and his senses alert. Surprisingly he had no difficulty squeezing below the diamond gate, and soon he found himself inside the chamber and in the glow of the emeralds.

Warily he looked from side to side, waiting for Trau to appear any moment now . . . but he saw nothing, heard nothing . . . the room was completely empty except for the seven emeralds and him.

Slowly he turned back to the entrance, never once taking his eyes off the chamber before him. "It's clear right now . . . just keep your guards up . . ."

Soon Sonic and Shadow were inside the room too, and the eerie silence they found put them all on edge.

"Anyone else find this a little suspicious?" Sonic asked.

"She's probably waiting for us to get close to the emeralds," said Shadow. "That's what she did the first time."

Knuckles suddenly turned around as a rock nearby tumbled from the cave wall to the floor. Soon afterwards another one moved, this one closer . . . He stepped back cautiously.

"Would calling to the emeralds work?" Sonic was asking Shadow.

"It's no use, they're under complete control and—."

"Shhh," Sonic cut him off suddenly.

"What?"

"Did you hear something over there? To the left?" He motioned to where the rocks kept tumbling from the wall. Soon more and more began to fall, and expecting Trau to spring Knuckles quickly backed away.

At the instant there was a deafening crash from behind and before any of them could know what was happening, there was a sudden blur of black and silver as smoke, dust, and burning energy filled the room. Once they saw the streaks of silver, Shadow and Sonic quickly leapt back—Knuckles, on the other hand, wasn't so fortunate. All of a sudden there was an agonizing blow from his right that sent him sprawling to the floor, and a deadly snarl soon followed. Then, striding slowly, eerily, from the billowing smoke, was Hyper Trau, her eyes flaming down upon him as she drew closer.

"_Trau!_" Knuckles gasped.

She merely glared down at him, a storm of hatred and fury whirling within the silver orbs of her eyes. "_You . . ._" she hissed through her teeth, and suddenly she sprung forward with terrifying speed and with one hit sent Knuckles flying again.

"Hang on, Knux!" Sonic shouted, and he and Shadow came running to his aid.

Trau suddenly whirled upon them, her eyes flashing. "Away with you fools!" The ground shook beneath them again, and suddenly a shower of rocks fell from the chamber's roof, thundering down before Sonic and Shadow. They were forced back as boulders smashed to the ground, sending up a stinging spray of pebbles and dust. When Sonic looked up again, there was a wall of rocks that reached all the way to the roof, blocking them off completely from Trau and Knuckles.

"No!" Sonic cried furiously and lunged toward the rocks, slamming into them with all his might.

On the opposite side, Knuckles pulled himself to his feet, facing Trau without fear. "Forget it, guys . . . go on."

"She'll kill you!" Shadow shouted.

"I'd rather die fighting than running," he growled in response. "Go!"

"Knuckles, I know you can fight," said Sonic. "But listen to me, you won't stand a chance against her—not with the emeralds on her side!"

"I said _go _for the emeralds' sake!" Knuckles hollered. "That's an order! This is my island, I'll make the choices here . . . You have to get Cyan and Khare . . . I'll take care of the emeralds and Trau. Just go, you're running out of time . . ."

"Knux . . ." Sonic warned, preparing to charge toward the rocks again.

It was almost as if Trau could see him straight through the wall of rocks, for she was glowering directly at him.

Knuckles stepped in her way. "Let them go . . . why waste your time fighting them when you can fight _me?_"

The flame in Trau's eyes ignited when she met his gaze. "For now, they'll be spared . . ." she hissed lowly. "The one who shall die now is _you!_"

Suddenly she lunged at him, her fist pulled back threateningly. Knuckles, despite his instincts to move, stayed put, never once flinching as Hyper Trau flew toward him and soon hurled him to the ground with a horrendous impact. He tried to get to his feet again but she grabbed him by the neck and flipped him clear over her shoulder.

"Get up . . ." she ordered him coldly as he clambered painfully to his feet.

"I'm not afraid of you," he replied, looking her straight in the eye. "I know you, I respect you . . . but I am not afraid . . ."

Hearing this fury consumed Trau, and she lunged at him once more, this time energy blazing within her hands. Before he could blink there was a searing burn and a thunderous impact that sent pain shooting through his body. Again he was on the ground and again he was attacked before he could make a move. Suddenly there was a tight grasp about his throat as he was suddenly lifted and thrown against the cave wall. Gasping for breath he gazed down at Trau, who held him up with one arm, her eyes blazing right into his.

"Why are you doing this to me?" he gasped. "What has Naugus done to you?"

Suddenly the grip around his throat tightened to an unbearable level and he was pushed back into the sharp rocks of the wall. He winced in pain and tried to draw breath, but he couldn't breathe.

"Why?" Trau snarled, trembling as rage and emerald energy surged in her veins. "_Why? _You _dare _ask me why!"

Suddenly she tossed him to the ground furiously and sent another orb of energy flying toward him. He was scorched by the excruciating heat, but somehow he managed to fight back the horrible pain and face her again.

When she saw he still had the gall to look her in the eye Trau swept forward and seized him by the throat again. This time she made sure her grip was so tight that it threatened to snap his neck.

"You feel that!" She cried. "Feel that _pain! _That's how I felt you miserable _traitor!_"

She swung her fist hard against the side of his head and threw him to the ground so hard that the rocks shattered.

"Traitor . . . ?" he asked once he found his breath again.

"_Traitor,_" she snarled. "I thought I had someone I could trust, and then you betray me . . ."

"Betray you? What do you mean betray you? I never—."

"_You LIE!_" she cried and slammed into him with deadly force.

He clenched his teeth and staggered to his feet again, holding up his hand. "What has Naugus been telling you? I've never done anything to you . . ."

Trau surged forward, pinned him to the ground and sent all the energy within her tearing through him. As raw, unbridled Chaos Emerald and Master Emerald energy inflicted him with a stabbing agony he cried out, but otherwise gave no other sign of his suffering.

"Liar!" she growled. "Just like them all—lying, cheating, betraying rats! You may be in great pain now, but it's nothing compared to the pain I suffered!"

"What pain?" Knuckles choked. "I don't understand Trau, we were the best of friends, you and I! Why do you wish to kill me?"

"You killed _me!_" she shouted heatedly, the fury in her eyes slowly turning to pain. "I'm nothing now! I thought I was something but then you showed me that it was all a cruel _lie! _And you . . . you _dare _pretend that it all never happened . . ."

Again energy racked through him and courageously he held the agony down. "Trau, I would _never _hurt you! Betrayal is what's ruining this world, I fight against it!"

Trau snarled in rage and hurled him through the air. Once he hit the ground again she stood over him, daring him to fight her.

"Go ahead, keep up your lies. You think you're suffering now? It can get worse . . . _much _worse . . ."

She struck him with another wave of energy, but he made no move, showed no anger . . . He only faced her bravely.

Trau clenched her teeth and tossed her head wrathfully. "Curse you, _fight me!_"

He shook his head slowly. "I won't."

"I'll kill you right here if you don't!"

"Then kill me," he returned sharply. "I already told you I'd never hurt you. The only way I'll fight you now is through words. Whatever Naugus has told you is a lie, Trau . . . who do you trust more? Me or him?"

For a brief second Trau hesitated, then her eyes narrowed again. "I saw it all with my own eyes . . . Naugus for once spoke the truth . . . someone will always steal you away from me . . ."

"What do you mean? Who?"

"Everyone!" she cried, her voice suddenly fraught with pain and despair. "There's always someone else, some other girl who's more deserving than me, who's kinder and prettier! And you made me believe I was the only one out of all of them that ever mattered!"

Knuckles was terribly confused. "You are! Trau, I've never met anyone like you before!"

Trau screamed with fury and hit him again violently. "Enough of your lies!"

"I tell the truth!"

"I'll show you!" she fumed, the emeralds behind her pulsing with all the anger that raged within her heart. "I'll show you what I saw myself! We are after all in Sanctuary! See for yourself!"

She waved her hand, and all of a sudden, before Knuckles' eyes appeared the same pictures Naugus showed Trau when she went Hyper for the first time . . . pictures that hurt him as much as they hurt her . . . There were scenes where he ignored Trau completely, or argued bitterly with her . . . there were other girls who he paid attention to instead, girls whom he had known but had never felt anything for . . . the Guardian's great heart tightened and his eyes went wide.

_Naugus . . . _he said to himself as he began to tremble with rage. _This is Naugus's doing!_

Suddenly that same terrible mixture of pain, anguish and uncontrollable fury entered Trau's eyes again, and she slashed at Knuckles vehemently.

"_See what you've done to me!_" her broken voice caused the very mountain to shake.

"Trau, that's not me! I swear to you! That's Naugus, Trau, _Naugus!_"

Trau snarled at him and drove another energy shock in him, but somehow he fought it back.

"Naugus is the liar and the betrayer, not me! How could you trust him over me, Trau? _How? _He's the one that took your friends, Khare and Cyan!" He shuddered as more energy ripped through him, but fiercely struggled to find his strength. He turned to Trau, his breath coming ragged. "Don't you see? He's showing you this to make you turn on all of us! You're under a spell, Trau! A spell!" Weakness and burning pain sent him to the ground again, but still he fought. "You have to fight _him _Trau! Fight Naugus! He's the one giving you all this pain! He's the evil!"

Trau shook violently and now held her terrible grip on Knuckles, allowing the energy to flow into him endlessly. Despite this, her eyes were clamped shut in misery, and Knuckles knew there was a greater battle going on inside her head. Desperately he sought to reach his feet.

"You know who you really are, Trau, and who I really am too! You know we were great friends who would never dare hurt one another! Get Naugus out of your head! Fight him!"

Trau suddenly cried out in pain and forced Knuckles back down. The energy burning around him became so hot that he couldn't breathe once more, and the light was slowly beginning to wane from his eyes. It was a heart-wrenching sight to see him heroically fighting such a hopeless battle, and _losing . . . _His injuries were too severe . . . all over he was charred by energy and horribly wounded from Trau's heavy blows. Exhaustion and pain were taking their toll on his strength . . . He would die if this kept up . . .

If there is anything unconquerable in this universe, anything truly invincible, it is the spirit of Mobius's Freedom Fighters . . . For even when put against the very greatest odds, it just _never _died. Knuckles had such a spirit, and it was the fuel that allowed him to fight back even though his body was losing. His spirit knew that his words and his heart were _winning_ . . . _that they would win_.

Suddenly and remarkably, Knuckles pulled himself upright and grabbed Trau's shoulders. "Remember _me, _Trau! Remember! You _must!_"

She cried out again in agony and Knuckles faltered for a brief second as the emerald energy attacked him again. But the second it subsided, he hauled himself to his feet painfully and shook Trau.

"Look at me! Look at the truth!"

Trau tried to throw him back, but he refused to let her go. The emerald's power threatened to throw him off his feet again, but somehow his spirit and his heart gave him the strength to fight it all . . .

He winced and shook his head, battling to look at her through his blurring vision. "I won't give up! You have to fight Naugus, Trau! And you have to believe me! I would _never _hurt you! _Never! _I knew from the second I met you that you were something different!"

Trau kept her eyes locked shut. "You lied!"

"No I didn't! Naugus made it look like I did! Don't believe him! Believe _ME!_"

"_I can't!_" cried Trau.

"_You must!_ _Remember your friends, the Freedom Fighters! Remember that you fight against evil and not for it! Remember _us _and how we used wrestle just to prove who was stronger, but found that we were more equal than anything!_"

There came a massive surge of energy from the emeralds and he paused to fight back the pain, clenching his teeth till it felt as though his jaw would break. Then he faced Trau again.

"_Look at me! You have to, Trau! You have to believe in me!_"

"_How can I!_"

"_Because I speak the truth!_"

"_How can I know for sure! How do I know it's not just another lie! How do I know anything from anything anymore!_"

"_Because I _love _you Trau!_"

Suddenly everything--the Chaos Emerald energy, the battle, even time itself--seemed to stop in its tracks. As soon as the words were out of Knuckles' mouth, Trau's merciless attack came to an abrupt halt, and she could only look back at him, stunned. The storm of blinding silver in her eyes slowly began to fade into crimson red, and for a moment the hatred and anger disappeared . . .

Knuckles gazed back at her, breathing hard. For the first time she realized just how badly he was wounded, his blazing scarlet red marred by burns and gashes, his daring violet eyes blackened. Suddenly it felt as if a bullet of guilt and regret had been shot through her heart . . .

Far away, back in the chamber the group had entered from the underground, Kaligarr suddenly froze, and looked up in astonishment.

". . . _She's been freed too . . . That's not possible . . . _" His red eyes shifted in confusion.

Preoccupied by bewilderment, Kaligarr failed to notice Vren charging toward him from behind, green venom flowing from his bared fangs . . .

Somewhere else within the caverns, a pair of golden eyes glared in the emerald chamber's direction. Khare tried converting her telekinesis to Trau again . . . but something was wrong . . . her powers were being blocked by something _extraordinarly _powerful.

"No . . . Love's fighting Naugus's spell! Impossible!" She growled in exasperation and looked away, her eyes glowing. "Well, perhaps _she _can be converted, but not _I. _Come out, come out wherever you are, Shadow. I look forward to seeing you . . ."

Back in the emerald chamber, Trau could hardly believe her eyes. Quickly realization was hitting her, and its impact was like a shockwave of raw Master Emerald energy. Suddenly all the rage inside her had been crushed by an emotion much stronger--in fact, it was so strong that it brought her to her knees.

"Knux . . . ?" she asked, her voice no longer cruel and rough, but low and meak. "Do you really mean that?"

He nodded slowly, unable to speak for the moment. Exhaustion and pain were coming back to him, and he almost felt as if he could pass out. But their was no hiding the honesty in his eyes, for it showed brighter and clearer than any emerald light.

Suddenly Trau lowered her head as a tear slid down her cheek . . . "_What have I done?_" Her silver markings slowly began to turn red again, and her dreadlocks shortened to normal length.

"It wasn't you," Knuckles spoke up suddenly. "It was _him . . . Naugus. _He did this . . . not you."

"He nearly . . . he nearly made me kill you . . . " she gasped, anger welling inside her again. She seemed to grow paler by the second. Suddenly she turned to the cave wall beside her, and with her last great reserve of power, sent her fist smashing into the stone, shattering it to dust. "_NAUGUS!_" she cried furiously, trembling with anger, regret and pain. How much would it hurt to find out that some dark magic had turned you against the one you loved the most, and brought you this close to killing them? One could scarcely imagine what Trau was feeling now . . .

Suddenly Knuckles put his arm around her and pulled her close. "You have nothing to regret . . . It was that blasted Naugus . . . I put no blame on you . . . And by the Master Emerald he'll pay!"

"I'm sorry . . . " Trau moaned. "I'm _so _sorry, Knux . . . "

"_He'll _be the only sorry tonight," Knuckles growled, and suddenly he staggered to his feet and limped toward the Master Emerald.

"What'll we do?"

"Harness the emerald's power of course," came his reply. "They're the key to defeating Naugus, and I say we show him first rate the awesome destructive powers these sacred gems possess . . . But you'd better stay and rest--"

Suddenly, despite her own weakness, Trau rose too. "I'll come too . . . you were right, Red . . . the one thing we've learned is that we are more _equal _than anything . . . Let us fight _together_ . . . "

Knuckles hesitated for a moment. They were both terribly exhausted, and right now the great battle against Naugus seemed utterly impossible. Trau certainly didn't look like she could handle all that energy again, but the Guardian did remember that this echidna--the one who matched his own dogged nature so perfectly--never gave up. Her place was at his side, not left behind him.

Finally he nodded. "Very well. Together then."

"Knux," she said lowly. "Before we go, there's something I want you to know."

"What's that?"

She gazed back at him with the same honesty in her eyes, with no evil magic to bruise them with doubt.

"I love you too."

Back in the tunnel, Sonic and Shadow ran side-by-side, the only ones left of the original group of four to take on Naugus. They had wanted to help Knuckles, for they knew just what he was up against, but the Guardian had been right. They were quickly running out of time. There was less than an hour left now, and with every step they took the odds seemed to look worse and worse.

"Do you think he'll make it?" Shadow asked Sonic as they ran.

"Knux?" Sonic asked, then his eyes grew grave. "He's a fighter . . . he'll make it . . . "

"I hope he'll come out OK . . . you were right, Sonic, this _is _turning out to be a battle of opposites. Seems every corner we turn leads to a new opponent."

"Keep your head up Shadow," said Sonic. "This is a tough fight, but we can't show Naugus fear. He preys on our emotions and turns them against us. That's what makes him one of the most feared villains on Mobius."

"I can see why," Shadow remarked, bitterly remembering how Naugus had betrayed him. Suddenly he thought of Khare. "I hope Khare's all right too . . . She saved my heart from being shattered again . . . "

"That was very brave of her," Sonic nodded. "You'll come to see, Shadow, that Mobius is a world of heroes."

Suddenly the alarm of the communicator on Sonic's wrist blared, and Nihara's worried voice came over the speakers.

"Sonic, we've got a problem down here!"

"What's up?" Sonic asked, skidding to a stop as Shadow listened intently.

"For a while we were gaining the upper hand on the Night Demons, when all of a sudden none of us can move . . . then this _monster _attacks us from out of nowhere! At first we thought it was Trau . . . but it was _Khare!_"

"Khare . . . ?" Shadow gasped, his eyes widening.

"She's slamming us Sonic! I don't know exactly how she's doing it, but she keeps immobilizing the entire Freedom Fighter army, allowing the Night Demons to attack. We're losing too many people down here!"

"She has psychic powers," Shadow shouted to the communicator. "The only way to fight her is through her mind!"

"I'm afraid we haven't got the time to do that my friend--Curses, here she comes again!" Suddenly a loud explosion could be heard in the background, and then there was nothing but static.

"Nihara?" Sonic yelled into the speaker. "Nihara, listen! The allies should be there soon! Just keep fighting! We'll find a way to help . . . somehow . . . Nihara?"

But there came no answer. Worriedly Sonic and Shadow looked at each other, the true seriousness of their situation beginning to dawn on them.

Meanwhile, far below, Khare cackled madly as she held the Freedom Fighters immobile in her grasp, leaving them all terribly vulnerable to the demons as they charged the group.

"Impressive, isn't it my friends? I highly doubt you've ever fought a battle quite like _this._" Suddenly she sent spikes of energy down upon them, and they all cried in pain.

The Night Demons leapt at the nearest Freedom Fighters they could find and tore at them viciously until there was hardly anything left . . . it was a ghastly sight, and for the first time true terror was beginning to engulf the courageous rebels.

"So, you're Khare are you?" Nihara snarled up to the black-and-violet hedgehog hovering just above them.

"I am. And you're Nihara, the skilled sword fighter and warrioress."

"How'd you like to see some of those skills firsthand?" Nihara spat, fighting spirit flickering in her eyes.

"I'm quite content up here, my dear," came Khare's cool reply. "It pleases me to see your 'brave' little friends suffer. Besides, you'd never stand a chance, no matter how adept at the art of swordfighting you are. I could easily predict your every move, and teleport with the snap of a finger."

"Why don't you fight eye-to-eye with your opponent you coward?" Nihara hissed.

At that instant Khare's golden eyes blazed. "You call me a coward? We'll see who's the coward before this day ends."

Suddenly she raised her head to the darkening skies above and waved her hand through the air. At once the clouds seemed to gather directly above the Freedom Fighters, slowly forming a massive funnel cloud. The Fighters looked up in horror was lightning flicked in every direction, scorcing the earth and setting the nearby forests to fire. The Night Demons cringed, but Khare suddenly waved her hand toward them, and all at once the light didn't hurt their eyes so terribly. Meanwhile the winds began to howl, whirling in the angry heavens overhead and kicking up a storm of snow and ice. Thunder roared and the planet shook until the mountains themselves began to crumble.

Khare grinned sinisterly as she released the Freedom Fighters and watched them scatter in panic as a whirling white vortex of snow and electricity descended upon the valley. The area erupted into total turmoil. Freedom Fighters ran for shelter, distracted by the tornado as it caught some of their comrades and hurled them through the air. Night Demons attacked the terrified rebels left and right, completely unaffected by the storm. Khare's evil laughter resounded through the air, above crashes of thunder and the howling of the cyclone.

"Let's see you defeat us now, _Freedom Fighters!_"

Suddenly, on the edge of the forest, the group of ships landed, and the ally Freedom Fighters looked upon the scene before them in utter astonishment. Among them were Lupe, Ari, Pallo and Dirk--the greatest companions to the Knothole Freedom Fighters.

"So _this _is Naugus . . ." said Lupe, shaking her head at the chaos ahead of them. "I always believed Robotnik was the worst . . . "

"This isn't even the half of it," said Ari, narrowing his brown eyes. "I've done battle with Naugus before. He has powers like you never imagined . . . " He dashed toward the battle, Lupe and the others at his heels.

"Hold on, guys! We're comin'!"

Khare whirled on the allies, her ears sweeping back in fury. She was about to advance upon them, when suddenly Naugus's voice echoed in her head.

"_Never mind them . . . we have more important things to worry about. The Night Demons and your storm should fix the Freedom Fighters all right. Sonic and Shadow are still making their way further through the cave. How they freed Trau is beyond me, but trust me, they won't make another step forward in this fight! You're my last hope, Khare--take care of Sonic and Shadow._"

For a second longer Khare glared down at her opponents, tempted to block the allies off from the Freedom Fighters completely. But at last, and a little reluctantly, she turned back toward the towering mountain before her and nodded.

"_Yes, master._"

Closing her eyes, she suddenly vanished into thin air. The very next second, she was inside the caverns, hidden within the shadows, watching the two hedgehogs as they approached another great chamber. This one was also full of crystals and icicles, and there was a stone stairway on the far side. Cautiously Sonic and Shadow looked around the room to be sure they had no waiting enemies. They would have worried about Khare, but since they figured she was fighting the Freedom Fighters, they were quickly on their way again, walking toward the stairway.

"I don't remember this stairway . . . " Shadow whispered, looking around in confusion. "This is where Khare used to be contained, but there used to be a large tunnel entrance just to the left over there--not these steps . . . "

Sonic glanced up at the bright light filtering through the cave at the top of the stairs. "Where do you suppose it leads?"

Shadow shook his head. "I'm not sure . . . But I guess we'll find out."

Quietly they ascended the stairway, and found a tunnel that branched off into several chambers to the left, right and directly ahead. The largest chamber was directly ahead, and it seemed to be the first place the two of them would head . . . but instead, a chamber slightly to the right caught Sonic's eye, for it was there that the bright light was coming from. And for some reason, something pulled him toward it . . . something strong . . .

"Sonic?" Shadow asked as the Freedom Fighter leader abruptly turned toward the lit room and just as suddenly began to run.

Perplexed, Shadow jogged after him.

A second later Sonic reached the entrance and peered inside the chamber . . . . and what he saw made his heart stop.

There, before him, was _Cyan_, enveloped in bright white light and lying inert on the cave's cold floor. There was hardly any life in her . . . she almost looked white she was so pale, and her eyes were dark and almost sunken. She hardly even seemed to be breathing . . .

Eyes wide with fear for her, Sonic dashed forward, his heart now pounding in his temples. "Cy!"

All of a sudden a set of huge crystals crossed over the chamber entrance with a loud crash. Sonic slid hard to avoid them, and as a malevolent laughter filled the tunnel, he and Shadow whirled around to see Khare, smirking down at them coldly.

"Welcome, friends! So good of you to drop in."

"Khare," said Shadow. "Listen, you must let us through, we're running out of time—"

"Silence, fool!" Khare snapped fiercely. "I take no orders from enemies of my master."

"Khare! Open the cave entrance!" Sonic demanded, his eyes whirling into emerald flames.

"Did you not just hear what I said?" she snapped, rounding on him. "And tell me, Sonic, why should I?"

Sonic stepped forward, looking Khare straight in the eye. "Because that is your friend _dying _in there, Kim, and we are running out of time to save her!"

"Friends?" Khare chuckled. "I have no friends—only my master and I work side-by-side."

"How can you say that?" Shadow asked her, glaring furiously. "You told me that you'd never harm your friends!"

"Then you must be mistaken. I have no emotion, no sympathy for any soul. What's it matter to me whether she lives or dies?"

"The planet!" cried Sonic. "All life as we know it! If Naugus absorbs her life force, he'll be back forever, and have the power to do _anything._"

"And I have no reason to fear Naugus."

"He's a traitor, Khare, you told me that yourself!" Shadow shouted. "Come on, Khare, don't do this! Don't be responsible for your friend's death . . . You don't really want to kill her."

"I feel nothing for her," Khare seethed, though deep down a terrible pain sliced through her heart as she said it. "Her life blood shall lead Naugus and me to ultimate _power!_"

"You can't just sacrifice her like this!" retorted Shadow.

"Oh, can't I?"

"Khare, I'm warning you!" Sonic snarled, standing at Shadow's side and pawing the ground in challenge.

"Oh dear, I'm _so _afraid," Khare sneered. Then, all of a sudden, her eyes began to glow. "Yes . . . _petrified._"

Suddenly a light flashed about Sonic and Shadow, and they were frozen in place.

"I can't move!" yelled Shadow.

"Neither can I!"

"You think you can defeat me, Freedom Fighters?" Khare asked, rising into the air and charging spheres of energy in her hands. "Well, why don't you give it a try!"

Then the energy orbs were hurling toward Sonic and Shadow, and suddenly the tunnel erupted into a thunderous explosion. Sonic was thrown but with a crafty flip caught his balance. Infuriated, he charged through the smoke, and soon found Khare. The she-hedgehog tried to teleport, but she had noticed him too late in the thick smoke, and he slammed into her hard, throwing her to the ground.

"You miserable _fool!_" she snarled, and suddenly she clenched her fist.

At that instant Sonic felt a tightening about his neck, but showed no fear. He faced her, eyes burning and ears pinned.

"If you want a fight, I'll gladly give it to you." He snarled.

"Consider it given," came Khare's ominous reply, and she was about to clench her fist tighter when all of a sudden Shadow jumped in between them.

"_NO! _I'm the one you want! Fight _me!_"

"Shadow—" Sonic began to say but Shadow cut him off.

"There's no time, Sonic, you've got to get to Cyan! If you don't we are lost!"

Khare chuckled. "What's the matter, Sonic? Afraid to face me on your own, are you?"

Sonic snarled and plunged forward. "I'm not afraid of you!"

Shadow jumped in again and risked a deadly collision. "No, Sonic! Remember how you said this was a battle of opposites? Well, Khare is my opposite . . . don't you see? Vren had to face Kaligarr, and Knuckles had to face Trau . . . I must face Khare . . . alone."

"If you're planning to do anything, you had better be true to your name, Sonic, and do it quickly. You have about less than thirty minutes left."

"No! Cyan!" Sonic cried.

Shadow turned to Khare, looking directly into her golden gaze. "Promise me one thing, Khare. If I stay, you must let Sonic go."

Khare glared at him silently, and then turned toward Sonic. Sonic tossed his head impatiently, desperate to move on.

"_Let him go . . ._" Naugus suddenly said to her. "_He's too late anyway, for my magic is working faster than I anticipated. Besides, I'm looking forward to seeing the little rodent._"

Finally Khare nodded. "Very well. _He _may go, but _you _stay."

Sonic glanced at Shadow, but the dark hedgehog motioned toward the cave behind them. Again Sonic strongly disapproved the idea, but he wouldn't let Cyan die.

He nodded too. "Good luck, Shadow."

"You too my friend. Now go, save Cyan. If she is lost I fear for us all."

Quickly Sonic whirled around toward the chamber where Cyan was being held, and dashed toward the entrance. But suddenly a cunning glint sparked in Khare's eyes, and out of nowhere great crystals plunged through the tunnel floor, sprouting up so fast that Sonic had to leap out of the way to avoid being impaled.

Shadow rounded angrily on Khare. "You said you'd let him go!"

Khare cackled maliciously. "Yes, but I never said I'd make it _easy!_"

"You liar!" Shadow cried, and suddenly he was tearing toward her as fast as he could move.

Khare smirked, and just as he came within a few inches of her she threw her hands up, and froze him in mid-stride with her psychic energy. Fiercely Shadow tried to break free, but suddenly he found himself being lifted off of his feet.

"Shadow!" Sonic gasped.

Khare continued to lift Shadow until he touched the icicles on the cave ceiling. Then, with brutal force, she hurled him sideways with the mere motion of her hand, and sent him crashing right through the crystals that blocked the chamber entrance.

Sonic was about to run to Shadow and see if he was OK, but already the black hedgehog was on his feet and bravely dashing toward Khare again. It was then that Sonic noticed the open chamber entrance, and saw his opportunity.

In a flash of cerulean he was swerving around the shattered crystals and disappearing inside the chamber . . .

In the center of the long tunnel the two dark hedgehogs faced off, their eyes locked on one another, circling slowly.

"Well, Shadow," Khare grinned. "It looks like it's just you and me!"

"Khare, I know you're in there somewhere . . . listen, it's me, Shadow, remember?"

Khare threw another orb of energy at him and he dodged, leaping swiftly to the side.

"It's just like Trau--Naugus has taken over your mind," he went on. "Fight him, Khare! Remember how you despise him!"

"Silence, idiot!" Khare snapped. "You speak nothing but nonsense! Come now, why don't you fight?"

Suddenly she vanished, and Shadow whirled around to find her. For a second or two the room was silent, and he saw no sign of Khare . . . and then, through thin air, she reappeared directly behind him, and before he could even blink she threw him against the cave wall with her psychic forces and pinned him, her arm outstretched and her hand clenching as if she were about to crush him.

"Khare," Shadow gasped. "Don't do this! For your friends' sake, don't!"

"How many times do I have to tell you, fool?" Khare snarled, throwing her hand down forcefully and taking Shadow down with it. "I have _no _friends! I stand alone!"

"So did I once," he retorted, climbing to his feet. "But that doesn't mean I couldn't be saved from my own loneliness . . . from my own trap."

He saw another flash of glowing gold energy and quickly Chaos Controlled himself out of its path. When he reappeared behind Khare, she spun around to face him.

"I feel no loneliness--I feel nothing. If you believe I can be saved, that I _need _to be saved, you are wrong!" There came a blaze of energy once again.

Shadow raced away unharmed. "Yes--yes I was wrong . . . to believe in Naugus's lies and to go into the depths of the very thing my Maria wished for me to fight . . . I know this now. I'm _not _evil, I am good! And so are you!"

"Goodness and light shall fall when my master's spell takes over the whole planet!" cried Khare. "You shall all fall, and Naugus and I will rule supreme!"

"Oh, so that's what it is, huh Khare?" asked Shadow, looking hard at her. "You think Naugus is going to give you all he says he will? Wrong! He's a traitor! A liar!"

An arc of energy came at him, and he staggered backwards to avoid it as it barely skimmed over his head. Then, suddenly, the crystals jutting from the wall behind him lurched forward. He then dove sideways, missing the sharp edges of the shards by centimeters.

"I work with Naugus, fool. Why would he betray me when I have nothing to lose?"

"You may not realize it, Khare, but you have _everything _to lose! You have your friends, the Freedom Fighters! You have the planet Mobius! Don't you get it? If we fall, _you _fall!"

"Not with my powers," Khare suddenly began to lift Shadow into the air again, her eyes expressing nothing but carelessness and hate. "Now that I work with Naugus, I am invincible!"

With one powerful motion of her arm she abruptly sent him crashing into the left wall. The impact shattered the crystals and ice and stone, and all of a sudden Shadow found himself hanging precariously in midair with a sheer drop beneath him. Desperately he twisted around and reached for an outcropping of rock as he began to fall, clinging onto it. In a matter of seconds Khare was standing above him, her boot pressing down on his fingers.

"Why don't you admit it, Shadow?" she seethed. "You're _afraid_."

"Yes, I am," he winced, hanging on fiercely.

"Why fear me? You _are _the Ultimate Life Form, are you not? A little drop wouldn't hurt you!"

"I'm not afraid that I'll fall," came Shadow's reply. "I'm afraid that you will! Just let Naugus take you over, Khare! Just hold your head down and don't fight back! Quitter!"

Again Khare gripped him about the throat with her cruel thoughts alone. "Why do you care if I fall or not? I need no one's care, no one's sympathy!"

"I didn't believe I did either . . . until I met you . . . " he choked.

Khare stared down at him, as if unsure about something suddenly.

"I used to believe that no one cared for me other than Maria, and that I didn't care either--that I didn't need anyone for me to be strong. But I was wrong . . . we all need one another to survive."

"I need no one!" Khare hissed and suddenly dropped him.

Shadow summoned Chaos Control again and reappeared on the cliff above her. "Nice try, Khare, but you won't throw me that easily! I won't give up on you!"

Khare flew toward him, charging her telepathic energy within her hands. "Then I'll make you give up! Why fight for me? What use am I to you?"

"If only you knew, Khare, if only you knew!" Shadow shouted before ducking the energy beam that whizzed over his head.

"Knew what!"

"Knew how much you've done for me!"

Thunder suddenly roared overhead, and a heavy snow began to fall. Again Khare hesitated, and whether it was because of the fact that it was growing harder to see Shadow in the darkening air, or for some other reason was unknown.

Then Naugus spoke again: "_You mustn't give into him, Khare! He is the enemy! Don't listen to what he says--he lies! Get rid of him, and you shall be rewarded greatly!_"

The dark hedgehog suddenly lunged at Shadow blindly, her eyes glowing like searchlights through the driving snow.

"You must be crazy, Shadow," she snarled. "I've done nothing for you, and I doubt I ever shall!"

Shadow sidestepped and dodged her attack. "No, wrong again! You've opened my eyes when no one else could."

Khare wheeled around and Shadow found himself swerving out of the way of a bolt of lightning. Despite this he went on talking without a flinch of fear.

"I've only realized all this just recently, Khare, but I see now that you gave me something no one else ever has: care, compassion, sympathy. . . You didn't have to show me any care, especially after I pushed you away, but what matters is that you _did!_"

"I never showed anyone care! I'm incapable of emotion." She waved her arm and sent an arc of energy sweeping out so fast that it grazed Shadow's side, burning him badly.

Shadow winced, but faced Khare. "No you're not! You cared for me when you had no reason to, and that's the noble thing about you! They say love is caring without selfish reason, and that's what you gave me!"

"Love," Khare snorted. "There's no such thing in this tortured world! It's just another lie!"

"What has Naugus done, turned you into me?" Shadow yelled. "I used to think the same thing, but you proved me wrong!"

"Miserable fool!" Khare suddenly cried. "I tell you I _cannot _feel! And I'll show that to you now!"

Suddenly she hurled forth all the energy she possessed, shooting arcs and beams and orbs of telepathic power. Shadow made an attempt to move but was instantly bombarded by the barrage of attacks, the energy searing through his flesh. With a cry of pain he leapt straight up in the air and teleported a fair distance away from Khare, but that hadn't been enough . . . Suddenly a ray of energy surrounded him and clasped him like a giant hand, squeezing the breath out of him. Then, through the snow, the black-and-violet hedgehog strode toward him, her eyes flickering cruelly as she increased the pressure of the energy's grip.

"Khare, don't--"

"You think this is bad?" she snarled before he could finish. "Well, let me show you a little more!"

She then lifted him up in the air once more, and Shadow quickly realized what a dangerous situation he was in. Lightning was flashing all around them, and lightning always struck the highest object . . . just as Khare expected. Frantically he struggled to break free, but it was no use; he was practically paralyzed. He could only move his hands, feet and his head. The rest of his body was quickly growing numb to all sensation.

"Khare!" he shouted over the booming thunder. "You don't want to do this, Khare!"

"Oh, don't I?" She tightened her grip and lifted him higher, where she could feel the electricity in the clouds building.

"No!" hollered Shadow as he fought. "Deep down you don't! Deep down you're the same Khare I knew! The same kind, caring girl that so suddenly came into my life!"

Khare merely laughed and held him nearly one hundred feet above the cliff she now stood upon. A bolt of lightning shot past Shadow so closely that he could feel its terrible heat on his skin.

"Fight Naugus, Khare! He's your enemy! He is the betrayer! That's why you're working for him in the first place! You did it . . . all because of me . . . " Suddenly a very sad look came into his red eyes.

"Hmmph," snorted Khare. "I've always worked for my master. No use wasting your breath, stupid fool."

"I waste nothing!" cried Shadow. "Naugus told me everything! You did it to save me, and you did it to save your friends! Naugus never planned to return Maria to me, even if he _did _have the power to bring back the dead! You knew this--that's why you made the deal with him!"

Another stroke of lightning came dangerously close to Shadow, and the thunder that followed was so loud that it seemed to crack the very heavens. But it added power to Shadow's voice as he shouted down to Khare.

"He told me you made a deal to prevent your friends from being harmed! But he lied, Khare! Look at what you're doing! You're not just hurting me, you're hurting all of us! You don't want to do this, Khare! Fight! For the emeralds' sake, _fight!_"

Something seemed to touch Khare's mind at that moment, something vaguely familiar, like a long lost memory returning in a dream. But whatever it was she shook it off quickly, and lifted the black hedgehog higher into the angry storm.

"I know Naugus has a tight hold on you," he went on. "but if Trau and Vren can be saved, then so can you! Remember, Khare! Remember your friends! Remember the one they call Sonic, the blue hedgehog! Remember your best friends Cyan and Trau! Remember the Freedom Fighters which you belonged to!"

The familiar sensation returned, but this time instead of Khare fighting it herself, Naugus's sinister voice drowned it out.

"_Do not let me down, Khare! If you do you'll suffer greatly! KILL him!_"

Suddenly she jerked him higher into the sky, and lighting grazed his head, giving him a minor shock.

"Ahh! Khare _don't! _Listen to me, not Naugus! There's only me here! The real Khare wouldn't do this! Wouldn't harm another living soul! That's what you told me before, Khare! Before Naugus and Kaligarr used their spells to hypnotize me! That wasn't really me . . . Don't you see? They're doing the same thing to you! They're making you forget! They're turning you against the ones you love the most!"

"I feel no love!" Khare screamed above the deafening gale. "Can _you _not see!"

"I don't have to see! I _know! _You wouldn't have made the sacrifice you did unless you felt it!"

Lightning flicked and thunder crashed.

"Love does not exist! It's nothing but a myth--something we are only taught to believe!"

"That's not true! You know what you're doing inside! Listen to me and listen to your heart! Your heart holds the truth! Listen!"

Khare suddenly looked as if she were in pain, clamping her eyes shut and trembling violently. A war was raging on inside her, a war similar to those Vren and Trau had to fight. Only in this one, Naugus was as angry as ever.

"_I warning you, Khare! Lose this battle, and you shall lose your life! Do as I say! Kill him! Your psychic powers can do it!_"

Khare screamed and shook her head furiously as a throbbing agony took hold of her. For a second Shadow dropped a few feet, but then he was jerked upwards again, the spell once more taking control of poor Khare.

"Be who you are and not what you've been made to me! Please, Khare! Mobius's fate lies within your hands now . . . You can't let all these innocent lives die! Please!"

"_Khare!_" Naugus snarled warningly.

The she-hedgehog staggered backwards and looked as if she'd fall to her knees. Shadow was sure he heard her cry out, "_No! No!_" but then she was on her feet again and lifting him ever higher. Lightning grazed his arm and again he shouted as the terrible heat burned through him.

"I know you're feeling something, Khare! Keep on fighting! For Mobius! For _me!_"

The turmoil inside Khare was intensifying all too rapidly. With every second the storm grew more violent, the wind tearing across the earth and flattening nearly everything in sight. Below the tornado of ice and snow constantly swallowed anything it touched, including Freedom Fighters. The mountains shook and rattled, and soon rockslides and avalanches thundered down into the gorges below. Again and again Khare cried out in pain, hardly able to keep her balance. It looked as if she were battling some imaginary opponent that was forcing her to the ground. Inside it felt as though she would be ripped in two. Naugus was holding her down, strangling her, forcing her to fight against those she loved the most . . . and then there was Shadow, the hedgehog she knew deep down, and had fought so long for. All those memories of the Freedom Fighters and of Shadow were coming back, and the voice in her heart grew louder by the second.

"_You can't harm him! You fought to protect him! Look what you're doing! Look!_" it cried.

"_Finish him, Khare! Finish him!_" shouted Naugus.

Suddenly Khare raised her hands to hold her pounding head, momentarily releasing Shadow. He prepared to land on his feet, but Khare caught him again, and this time the pressure of her hold was unbearable.

"Stop, Khare, _stop!_"

"_Do it! Destroy him!_" commanded Naugus.

"_No, save him!_" her heart argued.

"_NO!_" Khare shrieked, and this time Shadow knew he had heard it.

"That's it, Khare! Fight! You can do it! Fight him! I'll help you, Khare! Just--" Just before he could finish his sentence, Shadow suddenly let out a horrible cry of agony--one so horrible that for a millisecond Khare's vision cleared and she could _see_. Shadow winced, the loud crack still echoing in his ears, and then he tried to move his left arm . . . but he couldn't--it had been shattered by Khare's death hold.

When Khare saw his pain, her heart felt as if it'd collapse. She tried to speak, but couldn't.

"_No! Shadow!_" she cried mentally.

"_Kill him or BE killed, Khare!_" Naugus roared furiously. "_You feel nothing for him! You feel no emotion! Now destroy him!_"

Quickly the cruelty and emotionlessness returned to Khare, and she gripped Shadow tighter. But when the black-and-red hedgehog yelled in pain, her emotions faught back, slamming into her heart so hard that it felt as if she'd be knocked off her feet.

"_How could you!_" they screamed. "_Stop this now or he's finished--or all life will be finished!_"

"_Kill him!_"

"_No!_"

"KILL _him!_"

"_NOOO!_"

At last Khare couldn't take it anymore. She finally released Shadow again, and was about to collapse, when suddenly Naugus reached into her, taking hold of her soul and numbing her heart to all feeling. Memories were chased away, and now Shadow was being lifted as high as ever.

"_Khare!_" he cried. "Don't do this!"

"Prepare to die, you miserable fool!" she hissed.

"No! He's taken hold of you again! Khare, don't let him!"

There was no change in her eyes or her thoughts this time, no sign of struggling. Through the wind and snow Shadow fixed his eyes on hers, praying . . . searching. It would take something more powerful than Naugus's magic to save her now--_far _more powerful. At first, perhaps, in the beginning, before Shadow had known this girl who had come to be known as Khare, the psychic warrior, he wouldn't have had a clue what to fight Naugus's magic with. But now he did, and at that moment, from the depths of his heart, it hit him.

Suddenly he looked down hard at her, a light glowing within his crimson eyes that had never been there before.

"Naugus can't win, Khare. It's impossible. He may have the fury of the Chaos Emeralds, the ultimate control of the Master Emerald, and the limitless magic of Sanctuary on his side. But he shall fail! Love is fighting him! And love conquers all!"

Khare glowered at him hatefully. "You don't get it do you? Love is dead! I love no one, and no one loves me! I am alone!"

"No . . . " breathed Shadow. "You're not. And neither am I. I thought I was--until our paths crossed. You, Khare . . . you have given me kindness and caring and devotion . . . the things I've longed for ever since Maria perished . . . the things I've wanted all along."

Khare bared her teeth and lifted him higher . . . lighting flicked again, just centimeters away from him. Shadow glared back at her, trying to find Naugus's evil face within her eyes and beat him out forever.

"You cannot win!"

"I shall! You'll be with your precious Maria soon! I feel nothing for you nor the others!"

"You cannot win!" Shadow repeated furiously. "Remember _love!_"

"There is no love! I'm alone!"

"Remember LOVE!"

Electricity was building in the cloud directly above Shadow . . . at any second it would erupt . . .

"_There is NO love!_ I stand alone! Forever alone! I want no one! Need no one! Alone! I am alone! No one cares . . . no one loves!"

"Yes they do, Khare! You are _not _alone! You are _never _alone--because I _love _you, Khare!"

All of a sudden the electricity that had been charging in the cloud broke loose and before anyone could blink, Shadow was engulfed in its blinding white light. It was over and done in a heartbeat, but to Khare it all seemed to happen in slow motion, for at that very instant her eyes and her thoughts had cleared, the evil crushed by Shadow's words and the emotion that followed . . .

Far below, Naugus's infuriated cry could be heard for miles and miles as it carried on the wild wind of the storm.

"_NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!_"

There was a second of numbness as Khare watched the energy that had been holding Shadow dissipate. She could hear nothing, nor feel anything save the excruciating pain that was quickly welling up inside her as she saw Shadow drop his head and fall down toward the mountain. She tried to catch him but for some reason couldn't, for all her powers had suddenly died.

The moment Shadow hit the ground, Khare fell to her knees, and suddenly everything came to an abrupt stop. The roaring thunder and howling wind immediately died . . . the air and the mountains stopped trembling, and the raging tornado turned to dust. There was nothing but dead silence. In the valley below, the Freedom Fighters and Night Demons looked up in confusion. Not a single thing stirred in the forests nearby . . . not even the leaves on the trees nor the snowflakes on the ground. Nothing dared move or breathe.

Poor Khare sat there, trembling, everything hitting her at once . . . all the evil she had done . . . all the chaos she had created . . .

"What have I done . . . ?" he gasped, her voice quavering, tears filling her eyes. "_What have I done!_"

"_What have you done!_" Naugus's fuming voice suddenly growled in her head. "_You've let the stupid Freedom Fighters win you, that's what you've done! You've disobeyed me, ruined my plans! Stupid fool! No matter . . . They are still too late! Cyan will be dead in a matter of minutes, and then I shall be powerful enough to obliterate them all with one snap of my finger!_"

Khare's eyes widened. "_What?_"

"_That's right! Your foolish friend Cyan is dying as we speak, all thanks to your psychic powers, of course. I couldn't have done it without your help. By using your powers I was able to convince the girl that everything she's experienced here on Mobius has been a dream, as well as make her terribly ill. So now she's lost the will to live. So there's one thing I must thank you for!_"

The girl's jaw dropped in horror. She couldn't believe what she was hearing . . . She knew she had done evil while under Naugus's command . . . but nothing like _this . . . _It couldn't be . . . it was too horrifying . . . Cyan was dying because of _her?_

Unspeakable sadness engulfing her, Khare turned slowly to gaze at Shadow's wounded form laying on the ledge just before her. Yes . . . him too . . . she had hurt him too. She had hurt all of them . . . every single soul on Mobius. Trembling violently, her breath coming ragged, Khare shook her head in disbelief, her vision fogging with tears and indescribable pain.

"No . . . _no . . . _Naugus," she suddenly snarled, the misery merging with fury. "Naugus! You liar! You ruthless traitor! I should have known!"

Far off Naugus snorted. "_Even if you had known, dear girl, I would have still been able to turn you into my little puppet. My magic is stronger than ever! And the Void shall envelope the entire planet of Mobius in twenty minutes! You and your Freedom Fighters have failed, Khare! Thanks to you, they all shall perish!_"

The pain . . . the guilt . . . Khare couldn't bear it. It was tearing her apart, consuming her, draining the very life from her . . . She'd never be able to live with what she had done, and now there was no hope. Mobius was doomed. There wasn't enough time to save it now . . . and all because of the deal she had made.

A turbulant storm of remorse, agony, sadness and intense fury swirled inside of her head, throwing her thoughts into hysteria. Suddenly the air seemed so terribly _cold_, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't draw her breath. In all the madness she began to shake so hard that her boots rattled on the cold stone beneath her, her hand desperately reaching for something to hold to for fear that she'd fall, but finding nothing. She felt like she could die right there, less than two hundred yards from the evil sorcerer they had all come to defeat.

Constantly her head swayed back and forth, futily trying to refuse that this was all reality.

"_It can't . . . _" she breathed, her voice hardly audible.

Suddenly the winds began to pick up again, and an enormous funnel cloud swirled above the mountain.

"_It can't . . . _"

Furiously the winds roared until they became a gale, rays of energy mixing within and feeding the storm incredible power. The Freedom Fighters below looked on in terror as the greatest cyclone they had ever seen snaked its way around Naugus's mountain . . .

Khare trembled as the insanity in her head raged on . . . and then, at last, it reached its breaking point, and suddenly her heart seemed to explode.

"_IT CAN'T END THIS WAY! NOOOOO!_"

Right before the Fighters' eyes the mountain disappeared inside an enormous vortex of rampant energy and wind, roaring and howling with a sound their ears had never heard before. It was eerie, bone-chilling, almost like the cry of a tormented soul desperately seeking relief, solace . . . The catastrophic fury of the storm split the very ground apart and shattered mountains into dust . . . The entire island seemed to quake and crumble, threatening to fall apart in the face of Naugus's evil.

For miles around Mobians witnessed the massive tornado demolish the beautiful landscape of the Floating Island. At that moment in time, they all truly felt as if they had lost . . . Destruction, pain, loss and defeat reigned supreme all over the world . . . They could smell it on the wind and taste it on their tongues . . . It was over . . . Mobius would finally fall . . .

On and on the cyclone raged, fueled by Khare's extreme sadness and anger. The mountain was being ripped apart and shaken . . . Then, suddenly, the deep snows that quilted its peak broke loose, and a horrendous avalanche thundered down its north face toward the valley below. The Freedom Fighters turned and fled for their lives as the gigantic cascade of snow loomed before them.

Amid all the turmoil within the tornado's winds, a pair of crimson eyes suddenly opened, and desperately tried to see through blurred vision the black-and-violet hedgehog who knelt several feet away, her head hung in despair, her bitter pain literally tearing the earth to shreads . . .

Inside the mountain shook and shuddered tumultuously, walls caving in and floors collapsing. Sonic dodged a huge chunk of rock as it came crashing down from the chamber ceiling, and, his heart pounding, raced toward Cyan until he fell to his knees at her side.

"Cyan!" he cried above the pandemonium. "Cyan, wake up! You've got to, Cy! C'mon!"

He shook her frantically, but the girl didn't respond. It didn't even look like she was breathing . . .

Then, suddenly, Sonic's quills stiffened when an all-too-familiar voice spoke to him.

"_You're too late, Quickster,_" Naugus cackled malignly. "_It's over. She's dead._"

Sonic's eyes widened and quickly he shook his head. "No!"

He took Cyan's hand and pressed his fingers against her wrist . . . and suddenly everything inside him collapsed.

_No pulse . . . _

Stricken by the very same pain, horror, and disbelief all his friends had been feeling, Sonic staggered backwards, unable to breathe, his quivering hand clutching at his chest. All of a sudden his whole world came crashing down, just like the mountain around him.

"_NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!_"


	17. Chapter 17 Hour of Heroes

**.:Chapter 17:.**

**Hour of Heroes**

_Where have all the good men gone_

_and where are all the gods?_

_Where's the streetwise Hercules_

_to fight the rising odds?_

_Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?_

_Late at night, I toss and I turn_

_and I dream of what I need_

_I need a hero--I'm holding out for a hero_

_till the end of the night_

_He's gotta be strong and he's gotta be fast_

_and he's gotta be fresh from the fight_

_I need a hero--I'm holding out for a hero_

_till the morning light_

_He's gotta be sure and it's gotta be soon_

_and he's gotta be larger than life_

_Somewhere after midnight, in my wildest fantasies_

_Somewhere just beyond me reach_

_There's someone reaching back for me_

_Racing on the thunder and rising with the heat_

_It's gonna take a superman to sweep me off my feet_

_Where the mountains meet the heavens above_

_And where the lightning splits the sea_

_I can swear there is someone somewhere_

_Watching me_

_Through the wind and the chill and the rain_

_And the storm and the flood_

_I can feel his approach like the fire in my blood_

_-Holding Out for a Hero, _Jennifer Saunders

Deep inside her unconscious, Cyan's human form lay motionless in her bed back on Earth, barely breathing, barely thinking. Everything seemed to be in a haze . . . as if it were all going by in slow motion. She heard sounds outside her window . . . the wind rustling through the trees, the songs of birds, the drone of cars on the distant highway. But they all meant nothing to her. They were the sounds of reality--one that had become unbearable to live after she had discovered Mobius was a dream. She was falling deeper into a spell that would forever ease her pain, willing herself into a void of eternal darkness. And the ironic thing was that she didn't even know why exactly she was so terribly alone and miserable . . . she just knew she had lost something incredibly vital, so very close to her heart that she couldn't live without it. It frustrated her not knowing what it was she was missing, and with all her remaining strength she tried to remember. But it just wouldn't come to her no matter what.

"_What have I lost?_" she kept asking herself. "_It hurts that I can't remember . . . whatever it is it's gone--gone forever. I can never go back . . . _"

She turned her head and looked at all the things that decorated the shelves and walls of her room . . . all the old mementos, books, posters, and memorabilia. There were images--pictures that seemed so familiar to her on these objects, yet so awfully distant. It was like looking at a mirage--something that looked familiar yet one didn't know if it were real at all.

"_What does it matter now anyway?_" she sighed finally, hanging her head dejectedly. "_It's gone. I'll never be whole again without it. Might as well give up . . . there's no more reason to fight . . . to live._"

"That's where you're wrong," came a sudden voice.

Cyan glanced up and suddenly found herself face-to-face with a pair of hazel eyes much like her own. The girl waited for some kind of form to materialize from the bluish-green mist that was now filling the air, but it never came. There were only the eyes that looked down hard at her, almost glaring angrily.

"_Who are you?_" Cyan asked.

The spectral eyes shook back and forth, as if the one who possessed them were shaking their head. "You know who I am. And don't say you can't remember, because you _can, _Cyan. You _must._"

"_I can't remember anything,_" Cy sobbed. "_I know I've lost something, something important, but I can't remember what it was._"

"It's there, deep in your heart," argued the spirit. "It can come back to you, but you must help it, Cyan. Try to remember, for the sake of all life, _try!_"

"_I've been trying all this time . . . It's no use. I just can't find the memories. It's too far gone. I can never have it ever again, and without it I have no reason to carry on._"

"It's not gone I tell you!" the spirit cried. "Cyan, you believed in me when I told you I could grant your most longed-for wish, and all I had to do was ask you. Your wish came true, didn't it? So believe in me now, my friend, things will get better! But you must _fight._"

"_What would I be fighting for?_" Cyan groaned.

"Life, Cyan! All your friends, all your loved-ones, all life on Mobius, and possibly the entire universe is being threatened, and if you fall, it will all be lost!"

Tears streamed down Cyan's face. "_But they're already gone! I can't recall any of them, but I know they're gone. I'm lost . . . I just want to lie down and sleep . . . sleep forever._"

The spirit's eyes flared brilliantly. "It's not time for you to go, Cyan--not yet. Your destiny awaits you, and you've only scratched the surface of your future. You can be saved. Remember, Cyan, remember _him._"

Suddenly the girl looked up. "_Who?_"

"You know who. Magic has suppressed memories of him, but it has not destroyed them. They're there. Close your eyes and listen . . . Think of a great forest, Cyan, a forest that stretches on for countless miles, with towering redwoods and oaks, and a meandering blue river. Do you see anything?"

Cyan followed the spirit's instructions, and imagined the description of the forest in her head. For a fraction of a second, something vaguely familiar came to her, but it disappeared as suddenly as it had come.

"Imagine endless blue skies that seem to beckon to you, bring you out of the darkness of your fears to embark on adventure after adventure, in a world where anything is possible."

Again a tiny flicker of a memory came, but it didn't last long enough for Cyan to truly grasp. They were merely blurry glimpses into the past, too distorted to make out.

"Now remember a dark city far in the distance, looming beyond the trees and the plains like a shadow. Remember the acrid smell of pollution, death, and pure evil . . . and the incredible will you have to fight it. Tell me, can you see these things?"

"_I see glimpses, but nothing more. I can feel some faint familiarity when you describe these scenes, but it's like a dream. It's too far . . . _"

"No, it's never too far, Cyan. Never be afraid to reach for your dreams, no matter how great the distance may seem. You've never been afraid of that before, because you believed. Believing, Cyan, will save you and Mobius. It's what keeps life possible, for life is stemmed by dreams."

Normally Cyan would have been encouraged to fight by the spirit's words. Normally she would have easily recalled the scenes described to her, for they would always be a part of her. But suddenly the shadow of hopelessness fell upon her, and she laid her head down.

"_I don't wish to fight . . . _"

The spirit's eyes went wide. "Don't wish to fight? You mean _give up? _Surrender? Let them all perish?"

"_I can do nothing . . . It's all been a waste. No one needs me._"

"You're wrong, Cyan!"

"_I've been wrong all along._"

Quickly the spirit tried to think, think of anything that would bring Cyan out of the blackness she was falling deeper into every second. She knew time was wearing thin . . . Soon, if something wasn't done, Cyan would be lost forever. But it felt as if something were repelling the spirit, forcing it away from Cyan. Naugus's magic was pushing her out of Cy's memories as well . . .

"You'll never truly forget!" the spirit shouted. "It's always with you! All of it! _He _is too!"

"_Who is it you keep talking about? Who's 'he?'_"

"The bravest of all the Freedom Fighters, Cyan, and the fastest! _Sonic!_"

At the mention of that name something whisked past Cyan's vision . . . a stream of memories, and a great sense of knowing and familiarity, but it all blurred by so fast that Cyan could hardly see it all. For a second the spirit's hopes were up when she saw Cyan look up, as though she had recognized what she had seen, but, once again, Naugus's black magic fought it down.

Cyan shook her head. "_I can't see anything but blurs! I tell you it's just too far away! As soon as I see something or feel something, it's gone in the blink of an eye._"

The spirit trembled and looked around frantically. _There's got to be some way . . . She won't die from your evil magic, Naugus! She won't! _

Even as she spoke, however, she was being pushed further and further from Cyan, until all she could see was a misty picture as well.

_No! _she cried, but the power of the magic was overwhelming, forcing her out of Cyan's mind and heart.

_I can't fight this . . . _she breathed, and hung her head. _It's too strong . . . I have failed . . . _

"Cyan! Cyan!"

All of a sudden the spirit looked up in astonishment, and Cyan opened her eyes.

"_Of course . . . _" said the spirit aloud, eyes gleaming with realization. "_In the nick of time--as always._" A smile spread across her face, and she turned back to the girl she watched over.

Cyan sat up, listening intently, trying to determine if the voice she had just heard was real or a dream. Something about it had sounded so strong, so beckoning . . .

Silence was all that answered her, though, and she was about to turn away, and then . . .

"Cyan!"

There! That voice . . . she knew that voice from somewhere, long ago. Unlike everything else she had heard, it didn't sound so distant, so hazy . . . It was clear, strong, breaking through even Naugus's thickest magic, and it called to her heart. _Who was that voice? _

"Keep talking to her," the spirit urged.

She could see very little of Cyan, now, but she could hear Sonic's voice, and she knew that and only that would save Cyan now.

Back in the world outside, Sonic clasped Cyan's hand in his tightly. He was overcome by despair, but he wasn't yet ready to give up on Cyan. Something told him she wasn't gone yet, that there was still a glimmer of hope. And he could almost swear he heard a voice in his head urging him, begging him to speak to Cyan.

"Cyan, please," he called above the chaos around them. "Come back to me! You must! You can't let Naugus win!"

With his every word Cyan began to feel more and more like she remembered something, remembered something very dear to her indeed. The magic tried to block it out, but it just wasn't working. Every second Sonic's voice grew stronger, and every time Cyan heard it tears came to her eyes. It was the voice of a soul who feared nothing, who would never hold his head down in defeat. It was the voice of courage, kindness, nobility and light--bold and confident, but at the same time gentle and caring.

And then, pictures began to form in her head. At first they were like all the others; they stayed for a split second, and then vanished. But then, gradually, they began to last longer, and become clearer.

"Yes," the spirit nodded. "Keep talking to her . . . she's remembering . . . "

Sonic held Cyan close to him. "You can't leave me, Cy . . . I'll never love again if I lose you. You're the one I love--you! Don't give up!"

"_I know you!_" Cyan cried in her dreamlike trance. "_Keep talking to me, please . . . It's coming back to me . . . Show me the way out!_"

Suddenly she gasped. In the depths of her mind she found herself face-to-face with a pair of courageous eyes. At first she thought they were the spirit's eyes, but no, these eyes were piercing emerald, and the second she saw them she knew she had seen them before. Those wonderful eyes, the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen, so full of daring and valiance, so _alive! _They glistened like a gemstone, with a radiance that could rival that of the sun. And they were full to the brim with fire, fire that craved adventure and challenge, that dared every enemy, every obstacle, and was a stranger to fear, weakness and hopelessness. Why those weren't the eyes of any ordinary soul . . . _No . . . _Those eyes were the eyes of a hero, a true hero . . .

"_Those eyes!_" Cyan gasped. "_Those magnificent eyes . . . Whose eyes are they? I know them . . . I know them from somewhere . . . _"

"You can't give up!" Sonic cried, his head pressed against hers. "I need you sweetheart . . . We all do . . . Don't leave me, Cy, I love you. I love you with all my heart. It took me forever to realize it, and I'm _so _sorry, Cy . . . Forgive me."

Cyan's heart began to flutter when she heard him say this, and she knew that love was pulsing through her, igniting like fire in her blood. She suddenly wanted to race forward, find the source of that young, intrepid voice and those dazzling eyes and leap into his arms. There came a sense of belonging with his words, a sense of meaningfulness and _purpose . . ._

"Yes," shouted the spirit. "Come back, Cyan! Come back!"

Sonic shook terribly, desperately hoping, pleading, praying that Cyan be saved. Suddenly he caught his breath . . . It had almost felt like blood was flowing again through Cyan's veins, like life was returning to her cold flesh.

Hope welling up inside him, he held her tight, tears glittering in his heroic eyes. "Come on, Cy, I know you can do it! You're not one to give up, girl! You wouldn't give up on anyone you loved . . . Fight, Cyan, fight for _me . . ._"

All of a sudden Cyan could hear a heartbeat racing in her ears, a sound so precious to her that she abruptly leapt out of her bed, bursting into tears.

"_Oh my god . . . I must find you! I must go to you! Lead me to you!_"

Suddenly one of the walls in the chamber came crashing down, and Sonic hung over Cyan, trying to protect her from the falling rocks and icicles. Then he noticed a crack quickly spreading across the entire ceiling, and his heart began to race faster.

"Cyan, I can't live without you . . . Don't leave me . . . Don't leave me . . . You were there for me when no one else was. Even in the darkest of times, you stood by me, eased my pain and gave me nothing but your love and gentleness. No matter what, you always believed in me! I am amazed at how you believe in me, even when the odds seem too great! Some say such faith is impossible, but you have it, Cy! Even when threatened with death, _you have it!_" Soon he found himself trembling, sobbing even, holding Cyan as if he'd never let go.

In her dream world Cyan began to run, racing out of her room and her house back on Earth until she stood out upon the lonely streets, looking up at the blue skies above.

_Blue . . . _Suddenly there were flashes of a sparkling cerulean blue in her mind's eye, the most brilliant shade of blue that ever existed. It dashed by at incalcuable speed, and every now and then, she could see brief flashes of emerald-green eyes . . . and eventually, a _face._ She couldn't make it out well, but every few seconds, the figure in her vision would turn his handsome head and give her a confident, haughty smile that seemed to say, "_catch me if you can._"

"_It's you!_" Cyan shouted, her eyes widening. "_The one . . . the one I _love . . . _Your name! Tell me your name! It'll come back to me, I know it will!_"

"Give her your name," the spirit agreed, crossing her fingers. "And Naugus . . . you have _not _won. The battle isn't quite over yet, my friend. Beware . . . Beware and behold the power of love . . . "

"Fight for me, Cyan! Don't abandon me! _Please _don't abandon me! Don't forget all the times we've had together, you and I! Don't forget all the memories we've made! Remember me, come to me, and fight for me--Sonic! It's me, _Sonic . . . _"

And then, at the instant the name reached Cyan's ears, it almost seemed as if all the black magic supressing her memories was blown away, banished forever into darkness. Suddenly Cyan's vision erupted into a flash of memories that came blurring across her eyes, but this time they were as clear as crystal, and she recognized them _all . . . _First there were terrible black monsters, Night Demons, chasing her and her friend, Kimberly, and then came a streak of cerulean, racing by so fast that it left a trail of flames that sent the beasts away . . . Then there was a village within a beautiful forest, the very same forest the spirit had described, full of the faces of her dearest friends: Tails, Dulcy, Rotor, Bunnie, Antoine, Vren, Uncle Chuck . . . She saw Robotnik's sinister red-and-black eyes and Naugus's cruel grin . . . She saw the seven Chaos Emeralds, the all-powerful gems that held the fate of Mobius in their hands . . . She saw a giant island floating in the heavens and a mysterious world of ice and crystals, where three spirits transformed her, Kimberly and Natalie into Cyan, Khare and Trau . . . And, most of all, she saw the face she had always known, had always loved, had always _believed in . . . _Yes . . . Of course! It was _him! Sonic . . . !_

Like a whirlpool the memories came merging, swirling together in Cyan's head, until, at last, the spell was broken, shattered to pieces, and her heart leaping in her chest, she threw up her head and cried, "_SONIC!_"

All of a sudden, Cyan's lifeless body jerked violently in Sonic's arms as life flooded back to her. She gasped for breath, heart pounding madly, and soon, with every breath she took, and with every heartbeat, her strength returned as well. Terribly dizzy, but ever so desperate to return to the one she loved so much, she shook her head and opened her eyes . . .

There, looking down at her, tears sliding down his beautiful face, was Sonic . . .

"_Sonic!_" she cried, jumping forward and throwing her arms around him lovingly.

"_Cyan!_" Sonic shouted in response.

And a sweet sight it was when the two of them came together once again, holding each other as though their lives depended on it, as they did, for they could have never lived without each other's love.

Sonic pulled her close and looked deep into her eyes, the eyes he loved more than anything else in the world. "I thought I lost you, Cy . . . " he whispered.

"He tried to take you from me . . . " she replied, pressing her head against his shoulder. "Tried to make me forget . . . He-he made it all seem like it had been a dream . . ."

"Nothing he does can take us apart," said Sonic, squeezing her hand, joyous and relieved to feel life flowing through them again. "That's one thing villains always forget, Cy--love conquers all."

Suddenly a tremor caused the room to shudder, and Sonic looked up at the crack on the ceiling . . . The rocks were beginning to crumble and split--they'd go any minute now!

"Come on!" he shouted, leaping to his feet. "We haven't got much time! The Void is about this close to swallowing the whole world!"

"Sonic, where are the others?" Cyan asked as he helped her up.

"Most of them are in a valley below the mountain, fighting Naugus. I came in with Vren, Knux and Shadow with me, but . . . we all had to split up. Kaligarr, Trau and Khare each paid us a visit."

Cy gasped. "Trau, Khare . . . are they all OK?"

"I don't know, but we've got to find them and help them. It's gonna take all of us to stop Naugus now!"

And with that the two hurried out of the chamber to find their comrades and regroup.

Meanwhile the Freedom Fighters were fighting a losing battle . . . A great many of their number had been swallowed by the avalanche from Khare's storm, and now, what was left of them was backed up against a cliff deep in the forests, Night Demons closing in on them.

"Stand your ground!" Nihara ordered them, her eyes fixed on the black beasts, ears pinned.

The poor Freedom Fighters tried to look as brave as possible, but there was no hiding the utter weariness in their eyes, nor the fatigue in their tread. They knew they were losing, that hope was fading away from them . . . Always they would fight, but they were all aware of the fact that each and every one of them would probably die . . .

Young Tails faced the demons courageously, although he was terrified deep down. Bunnie, Rotor, and Antoine stood together, prepared to fight. They started the Freedom Fighters together long ago, had lived together, and now they would die together. Dulcy stood between the monsters and the other Fighters, acting as a shield, her teeth bared in warning. She had had a difficult time accepting this as the final battle, the end of it all, but surprisingly she was calm inside, the dark realization that only came with impending doom descending upon her. And Nihara, valiant Nihara, looked death straight in the eye. She was no stranger to it, for she had dueled death once before. If this truly was the end, then she'd die here, in battle, defending her only friends and family in the world, and the planet they all loved.

Suddenly one of the Night Demons broke into a gallop, and came streaking toward them. The others quickly followed, until they became a tide of blackness sifting through the trees. The Freedom Fighters charged forward to meet them, although they were terribly outnumbered, only about thirty of them and still twenty thousand Night Demons. The demon that had led the charge launched itself into the air, flying toward the group . . . And then Nihara rushed forward, throwing herself directly in the beast's path.

"Nihara, no!" Rotor cried.

But the warrioress refused to budge. The demon came hurtling toward her, forelegs outstretched and claws extended . . .

And then, suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, a blinding light shot up between the Freedom Fighters and the Night Demons. The light was so fiercely intense that the Fighters cringed, shielding their eyes for fear of being blinded. And the second it hit the Night Demon's eyes, it let out a shrill shriek of agony and just as suddenly burst into flame, insinerated by an awesome energy that was surrounding the brighter-than-the-sun light. The other Night Demons nearby met the same fate, all instantly blinded despite the protection Khare had put on their eyes, and reduced to ash.

Then, amid the silverish-white light, two sets of blazing eyes appeared--one was a flaming red, and the other was a cold, glowing silver. Before any of the Night Demons could move, a shockwave of energy swept over them and turned their ranks into a wave of fire. This shockwave continued to whip across the land, destroying only the darkness that surrounded the Freedom Fighters. In a matter of seconds, there were no more Night Demons--only columns of smoke rising into the air.

Shocked, the Freedom Fighters looked up to see who their mighty saviors were. At first they could see nothing in the intense brightness . . . but then, two figures, standing back-to-back, suddenly appeared. There was Knuckles, only he looked very different now; his scarlet hide constantly flashed from red to silver, as furious energy surrounded him. His dreadlocks were at least two feet longer than before, falling to his knees, and his eyes had gone from a deep shade of violet to fire-red.

And then, behind him, was Trau, black-and-silver with her terrible emerald-generated power coarsing through her veins, but no longer directed at goodness and light.

They both had harnessed the power of the Chaos Emeralds and the Master Emerald to snatch their freinds from the jaws of defeat, _Hyper Knuckles and Hyper Trau_.

"Knuckles!" they all shouted. Some began to back away cautiously when they saw Hyper Trau.

"It's all right, guys," Knuckles replied, his voice taking on a godly echo. "Naugus's spell has been broken. Trau's with us again."

"Where're the others at?" Nihara asked.

"Vren split away from us to fight Kaligarr. Then, when we met Trau, Sonic and Shadow went on. Let's hurry and go find them--there's only about ten minutes left . . ."

Sonic and Cyan stood outside the area where the entire face of the mountain had caved in, looking out across the ledge beyond. Carefully Sonic stepped over the rubble, Cy following slowly. Once outside they looked down at the valley, searching for the Freedom Fighters . . . But what they found was nothing but bodies . . .

Cyan brought her hands to her mouth as she gasped. "Sonic . . . That can't be all of them . . . "

Sonic's eyes were grave as he gazed at his fallen comrades, both anger and sadness welling within him. "No . . . That can't be all of them. But where the survivors are, I don't know."

He turned and ran toward a boulder to get a higher view, when all of a sudden he heard a voice.

"Sonic! Cyan! You're all right!"

Both hedgehogs whirled around and found Shadow kneeling down beside Khare's unconscious form, holding her up with one arm while the other hung limp at his side. He looked horrible--covered in burns and bleeding . . . But at least he had survived Khare's fury.

"Shadow!" Sonic yelled, relieved to see his new friend. He and Cyan were at the Ultimate Life Form's side in seconds, and then they looked down at Khare."Is she OK?" asked Cyan.

"She's unconscious," Shadow panted. "But otherwise she's OK . . . I'm afraid her heart is ill though. Naugus--Naugus told her about everything . . . "

"We'll get the Chaos Emeralds and heal her," said Sonic. "But now we gotta find the others."

Then, suddenly, just as he was saying this, there came a familiar howl. Moments later, Vren appeared in the tunnel, and he too was in bad shape. Several deep gashes ran along his regal muzzle, chest and shoulders. The bone in his left wing was broken, he was limping on his right leg, and the expression on his face was that of pain and forlorn.

"Vren," Sonic called. "You've made it too."

Vren nodded weakly. "It is so good to see you all, my friends . . . "

"What's wrong, Vren?" Sonic inquired.

Vren sighed heavily and turned away, closing his magnificent golden eyes. "I have wronged, my friends . . . "

"What do you mean?" Cyan asked gently.

"Kaligarr . . . He--He'll never bother us again . . . "

Cyan, Sonic and Shadow lowered their eyes in understanding. Then Sonic patted the demon's shoulder reassuringly.

"It's war, Vren. You had no choice. Kill or be killed, bud. You were fighting for Mobius."

Vren nodded his head, but his eyes were fraught with regret for the injustice he had done. Taking the life of another living thing made him think of his old ways, when he was an evil, ruthless killer, and he hated to remember those days.

Suddenly he turned to the others. "Where is Knuckles? And the other Freedom Fighters . . . have they made it out OK?"

Just as he finished his sentence, there came a sudden flash of silver. At first it had appeared above the forest bordering the valley, but, with lightning-quick speed, it whisked toward the mountain and soon landed before Sonic, Cyan, Vren, Shadow and Khare. There was no questioning the source of such intense, living light. As soon as it came into contact with Sonic's skin, there came a familiar sensation in his blood, a sensation of ultimate power, energy, and fury. Shadow felt it too, and instantly he knew they were in the presence of the Chaos Emeralds.

Quickly the light faded, revealing Hyper Knuckles and Hyper Trau standing before the Freedom Fighter survivors, shrouded in an aura of pulsating energy that glowed with the brilliance of the stars.

"Somebody mention my name?" Knux grinned.

"Knuckles! Trau!" Cyan cried happily.

Trau's eyes widened when she saw her friend alive and well. "Cy! You're OK!" Suddenly she dropped her gaze. "Could you ever forgive me . . . for when I went Hyper on you all on the mountain ledge?"

"Of course I can," Cyan replied. "It wasn't your fault. It was Naugus. He's to blame for _everything._"

"Speaking of Naugus," said Sonic. "I think it's time we all paid him a visit. Whaddya say guys?"

All the Freedom Fighters shouted furiously and threw up their fists. Vren roared and Dulcy tossed her head up to breathe fire into the angry heavens above. Mobius herself seemed to cheer their heroic purpose on, for suddenly the skies came alive with furious sparks of lightning and earth-shaking crashes of thunder. The ground trembled, but it was no longer fighting against the Fighters . . . No . . . It was fighting for vengeance!

Suddenly Sonic dipped his head and closed his eyes, focusing his every emotion, his every thought, on seven sacred jewels. Then, in response to his summoning, the Chaos Emeralds appeared, even Shadow's one emerald, and slowly they began to circle the Freedom Fighter leader as a blinding light surrounded him. The others quickly stepped aside, giving him respectful distance, the sheer power of his Super Form already permeating the air. Faster and faster the gems whirled, until they were nothing but blurs of color circling at incalculable speeds. The light cloaking Sonic grew brighter by the split-second, and soon the onlookers could no longer see him. The air around them warped with heat and trembled with the greatness, the almighty wrath of the Chaos Emeralds.

The stones moved in closer, eventually disappearing into the light too, and then there came a glorious explosion of golden-white energy—a light so bright that it eliminated every shadow it touched, even those on the soul and the heart. The Freedom Fighters hurriedly shielded their eyes, but managed to catch a faint glimpse of the awesome sight before them.

With his speed and power increased by the thousandfold, Sonic suddenly spiraled upward from the veil of light, no longer a shimmering cerulean blue, but a radiant gold. For miles upon miles Mobians could see his golden glow, and when before they had watched the island in horror, they now looked up at the one, final ray of hope. A sense of deep respect, awe, and wonder stole through them all, and they found themselves standing still as stone in the wake of such tremendous power, hardly breathing, beholding it all fearfully but admiringly.

Sonic's eyes flashed open as the energy surged through him. They had gone from the deep, magnificent emerald to a blazing red, and sight of such fierce eyes caused the Freedom Fighters to quickly step away. They spoke of a remarkable but terrible power within, a power he could barely contain, and dared anyone to challenge their might. They were eyes that could pierce straight through the soul, and send fear through the bravest heart. Most people found it hard to look directly into the fiery orbs, for their ferocity could easily burn out the retinas of their eyes, but Cyan gazed up at them, her head bowed and her own eyes glistening with tears of reverence. She had been afraid before . . . she had had her doubts, and Naugus had nearly stolen her faith . . . but now she _knew _nothing on this planet or the next could defeat Super Sonic.

"I have seen this transformation many times . . ." breathed Vren. "But always I forget the incredible feeling of power that comes with it. How does any living soul face you in battle in this form?"

"There's a fine line between bravery and bravado," Sonic replied, his voice too echoing.

"So you have a Super Form too?" Shadow asked, nodding his head, and then closing his eyes, summoning the emeralds as well. "Then this shall be a battle to end all battles."

The Chaos Emeralds repeated the same process with him, circling him with ever-increasing speed until the blinding golden-white light engulfed him. Then, when he burst forth, he was no longer pitch black and red, but a glittering white-gold and burning crimson. Rampant energy flamed around him as it did with Sonic, Trau and Knuckles, and there was that same daring glint in his eyes.

"By the stars . . ." Vren gasped.

Now the air was trembling with the fury of the emeralds, feeding the fierceness of the storm. Lightning danced across the clouds, but not even that could outshine the intense light that surrounded Sonic, Shadow, Trau and Knuckles.

Super Sonic nodded his head, and slowly he turned his flaming eyes on the rest of the Freedom Fighters. Then, suddenly, he lifted his hand, focusing his powers for a second, and then swept out his arm, sending a wave of light that flowed over them all like a wave of cleansing water. The second it touched them, all of their wounds and their scars, all of their injuries and ailments disappeared completely, and the positive energy of the emeralds vanquished their pain. Vren's broken wing was mended, and Khare was revived. And thus, the tides were turned.

Inside his cave, Naugus slammed his fist into the ice furiously.

"How could this be!" he fumed, his teeth clenched. "They have all been released from my spells, but that is impossible! They're trapped within Sanctuary, where my magic is inescapable! _How could it all happen!_"

Quickly he whirled around, his cape billowing out behind him. He could sense the Freedom Fighters approaching, and something very close to apprehension was glowing in his red eyes. At the very last second Cyan, his source of life and power, had been taken away. His two forces of mind control and hypnosis, Khare and Kaligarr, were gone, and Trau, his greatest weapon, had been liberated from his magic as well. All his grand schemes that had been planned for years and years were crashing down before him, just like the mountain he paced within.

"Bah!" he snorted suddenly. "What does it matter if the tables have turned and the odds have changed? I still possess incredible powers, powers that could easily destroy them, even without the three girls and Kaligarr! I'll just have to fight them the old-fashioned way. Let them come!"

Then, suddenly, three unfamiliar voices began to whisper to the sorcerer.

"_You shall not win, Naugus . . . _" one quiet but hard voice snarled. "_Your evil shall fall!_"

"What!" Naugus growled, spinning around and looking about the room. "Who speaks?"

"_You'll soon find out, now won't you, Naugus?_" asked a deeper, fiercer voice. "_Thought you had gotten away with it all, hadn't you? Thought yourself pretty tough?_"

"I have won this war," Naugus hissed. "And I shall prove it to you, whoever you are!"

"_Oh, but it's not over yet, Naugus,_" came a third dark, cold and cunning voice. "_Your magic is weakening, and you know it. With every step they take, the Freedom Fighters lessen your powers more and more._"

"Is that so? I do not fear those pathetic rebels! Let them come to me--I'll show them just what my powers can do!"

"_You underestimated us, fool . . . _" the second voice growled lowly. "_'Tis a great flaw to underestimate one's enemies, especially when they themselves have incredible powers all their own that have never been witnessed!_"

"No powers can match my own now!" Naugus argued heatedly. "Even if I have lost the Chaos Emeralds and my life force, I have still regained enough power to become invincible! They'll never defeat me! Never!"

"_Evil is invincible, yes . . . _" spoke the first voice again. "_But goodness, love and light are forever! They conquer all while evil cannot! Even when the grip of darkness seems to squeeze all life out, there is always a flicker of hope, of resistance, that'll shine through the night!_"

Naugus was about to speak when he suddenly felt his enemies drawing closer, and his black heart began to race.

"_Do I detect a glimmer of fear in your eyes, Naugus?_" asked the third speaker. "_Seems even time has switched sides. You have no allies now, poor fool._"

"SILENCE!" Naugus roared all of a sudden. "I don't care who you are or what you say! I am not prepared to end this fight soon, nor will I surrender! There shall be no Freedom Fighters left when I am through!"

There was only an eerie silence, and then . . .

"_You have been warned, Naugus,_" the three voices spoke at once. "_Not even your magic can save you now . . . _"

The wizard's eyes burst into flames and he suddenly whirled around to the chamber entrance. "We will see about that!" He lifted his hands and cast a spell upon the earth . . .

All of a sudden the entire mountain rocked sideways, as if it were about to fall on its side, and then it trembled as earth tremors racked through its insides. Everywhere walls collapsed and rivers of magma began to pour out, filling the caverns that Sonic and the others had previously traveled through. Geysers erupted just a few feet from where Naugus stood, their hot vapors hissing as they came into contact with the cold. For miles and miles the mountains all around the island seemed to explode into storms of raging fire and molten lava, melting the ice and snow. Entire chunks of the island thundered down into the sea, sending up great tidal waves that flooded the surrounding land. The flames towered ever higher until they licked the skies, sending down fiery rain upon the forests. Once again the world seemed to twist and contort in the hands of Naugus's darkness, both freezing and burning beneath the quilt of thick clouds that masked it. Mobians and fellow Freedom Fighters were forced to flee to higher ground as fire, ice and water scoured the planet, destroying everything. They were afraid, yes, but even though destruction rung out all around them, they still looked up to the skies . . . They couldn't see it, but in the infinite blackness beyond the Void, a blue star was sailing through the galaxy, its beautiful sapphire light glittering brilliantly.

Naugus was now surrounded by a wall of fire, thermal springs, and boiling lava. Confidently he turned back to the direction the voices had come from, and said, "Let's see them get through that."

"_That's what you said when you had a legion of Night Demons, a hypnotic griffin, the Ultimate Life Form, a Psychic Warrior, a Destroyer, and a Giver of Life on your side . . . _" came the voices again.

"Blast you!" Naugus cried. "Who are you! Show yourselves! I do not fear you! If this is some pathetic attempt to fill my head with fear, just so Sonic and his little friends can defeat me, then it won't work, I assure you!"

"_It's no attempt,_" they whispered. "_do not ignore the voices of Fate. We truly know all, for we have seen it . . . _"

If anything filled Naugus with fear then, it was that. His fate had been seen? Then was he destined to lose this battle, after all his tedious planning and all the power he had gained?

"_Fear . . . It speaks to you._"

"No!" Naugus snapped, shaking off the feeling. "I fear nothing! Nothing, do you hear me!"

"_We know you feel fear . . . We can taste it . . . Beware, Naugus . . . Beware . . ._"

And with that the cryptic voices of Fate disappeared, leaving Ixis Naugus puzzled, angry, and fearful. But he would not allow his worries to get the best of him, weaken his incredible powers . . . Not now, when _so _close!

"You won't defeat me!" he growled aloud. "None of you! Come out and face me! Do your worst, Freedom Fighters! Nothing can beat me in Sanctuary! I am king here! Ruler of it all! My magic governs every single little thing that happens here! So come on out and fight me! You shall fail, and Mobius shall be mine--as it should have been years ago!"

"Don't be so sure, Naugus!"

His eyes going wide, the wizard spun around so fast that he nearly lost his balance at the sound of this voice. This voice had been no faint, ghostly whisper of a spirit lingering in the shadows . . . _No_ . . . This voice was strong, fearless, _powerful . . . _And Naugus immediately knew who it was. He had been too distracted by convincing himself and the spectral voices that he was not afraid to realize just how close his enemies had come . . .

Fiercely he turned toward the wall of flame that roared before him, his eyes searching through the fire. Yes . . . they were there. He could feel the energy of the Chaos Emeralds raging, and he readied himself to fight.

"Calling upon the powers of your Super Form, eh, Sonic?" he asked. "Hmmph! Not even that can match the powers of my magic now."

Then, all of a sudden, Super Sonic's blistering red eyes appeared directly before him, burning in a deadly glare through the flames. The fire leapt at him hungrily, whirling around him feverish attempts to devour him, but the Chaos Emerald energy beat it back with its own brutal heat, and kept Sonic completely unharmed as he stood there within the grasp of five hundred degrees.

Naugus tried as hard as he could to look into those eyes, to face his archenemy, but he could feel his retinas stinging painfully.

"So, Sonic," he hissed, squinting his eyes slightly to ease the burning. "You've come at last. Where are your precious little friends? Hiding?"

Sonic's pointed, golden ears swept back and the energy about him flared. "They're right where they belong, Naugus . . . Right beside me."

Just then more blazes of emerald energy appeared, first one, then two, and then three, four, _five . . . _Naugus went rigid, for now it felt as if the Chaos Emerald energy radiating throughout the room had increased by a thousand times. He was aware that Sonic and Trau could harness the power of the emeralds . . . but never had he seen or felt so many Super or Hyper Forms at once . . .

As Sonic strode through the fire, his fervid eyes never leaving Naugus, Cyan suddenly appeared at his side, enclosed in a brilliant neon blue glow, her eyes locked on the sorcerer as well. Then, to their right came Hyper Trau, her blinding silver contrasting sharply with the deep, flaming reds and golds that surrounded her. At her side was Hyper Knuckles, whose fists were clenching, already charging the furious power within to do battle with Naugus. And then, to Sonic's left, Super Shadow appeared, and then Super Khare. Yes, Khare had been able to take on the emerald's powers as well, and now she seemed to glow a brilliant violet and gold.

They all came together, each glowering at Naugus in warning, fury and hate. They had suffered together in the face of the wizard's plans, had nearly been forever divided, but now they would come together to fight him, and prove to him that _nothing _could ever break them apart.

Naugus could feel his confidence slipping when they emerged from the fire, their energy singing his skin. But then he suddenly took a tentative step backwards when he noticed the _others . . . _All around the chamber, perching on a rocky outcrop just above the flames, and surrounded by a faint shield of golden light, were the Freedom Fighters! All of their eyes were filled with the same purpose, to make the Evil One pay . . . Vren's mane bristled when he saw the sorcerer he so despised, and he bared his mighty fangs until the venom dripped onto the rock he stood upon. Nihara unsheathed her swords and crossed them just before her face, black eyes piercing straight into Naugus's.

Naugus could hear the spirits' voices coming back to him now as he looked on at this army that had come to fight him. Indeed he was outnumbered, more than he ever thought he'd be . . . And suddenly, in the face of the emerald-generated fury before him, his magic didn't seem so utterly powerful.

"Hello, Naugus," said Sonic once they all stood before the sorcerer.

Naugus snorted. "You cannot stop me, Freedom Fighters! You may have crushed my army and stole my greatest weapons, but the Void is still expanding and my powers are still great!"

"We'll have to see about that, won't we?" Knuckles asked, punching his fists together.

"I've fought Super Forms before," Naugus growled. "I do not fear them!"

"Yes," Sonic retorted. "But have you ever _won_ against one? Time's up, Naugus. It's time you stepped down from your pedestal."

Naugus clenched his fist, and energy began to glimmer around him. "Never . . . Remember, Quickster, you can't kill a wizard. Even if you did defeat me, I'd still be able to come back."

"Then we'll just fight you and defeat you again," cried Shadow. "If your magic wasn't enough to stop us this time, it'll never be enough! You betrayed me . . . and you tried to take away the only friend I had!"

Trau's eyes suddenly took on their deadly ferocity again. "You turned me against the ones I loved the most, by filling my head with lies!"

"And you tried to make me believe it all was a dream, tried to make me give up on my dearest friends!" Cyan hissed.

"Vengeance is sweet," snarled Vren.

Suddenly all the Freedom Fighters advanced forward, crying angrily at Naugus. The wizard stood his ground though, for he could not show them fear now, otherwise he _was _a gonner.

"Stay back," he snarled. "I'm warning you! You'll all regret it!"

But his enemies ignored his threats, facing him with no more fear, no weakness. They knew they couldn't be defeated now, for they had something that could never die--love. Naugus could feel this all-powerful emotion burning deep in the cores of the emeralds, and it sent a blade stabbing into his cold heart. Furiously he growled. How was it that is was always _this _that defeated him in the end? Surely there had to be some way to ruin it, some way weaken its power!

"All right, Freedom Fighters," he seethed suddenly, lifting his arms. "You asked for it!"

Suddenly the whole mountain shook again, and then giant crystals shot up from the ground, some reaching heights of over twelve feet. They would easily impale anyone in their path, but Sonic and the others walked right past them without so much as blinking. In fact, when their raging energy touched them, the crystals of pure diamond melted into magma!

Glaring wrathfully Naugus threw his hands up to the chamber's ceiling, and abruptly an enormous chunk of rock--large enough to crush nearly all the Freedom Fighters in the room--came hurtling down toward them . . . Sonic and Khare turned toward the rock and with one motion of their arms stopped it dead in its tracks and sent it flying back toward Naugus. The sorcerer grunted and vanished, leaving the boulder to shatter to pieces as it hit the ground. He was sure they'd never be able to find him as he teleported, but all of a sudden there came a blazing wave of energy that seered straight through him and threw him to the ground.

"Going somewhere, Naugus?" Sonic asked, he and the others surrounding the wizard. "Go ahead . . . Try outrunning us."

"GAH!" Naugus roared, and then the fire burning in the background turned into an enormous wave of lava that came surging toward the Freedom Fighters. Even if Super and Hyper Forms were practically invulnerable, the lava's intense heat would surely do some damage!

But they all stood motionless in the wake of the flaming wave, even as it loomed over them and eventually crashed down, flooding the chamber. They were all completely submerged for several minutes, and for a second Naugus thought he had succeeded. But, moments later, when the lava cooled and receded, Sonic and his friends--even those on the ledge--stood totally unharmed.

Naugus gawked in disbelief. "How can this be!"

"Fool," Sonic hissed. "When powered by anger the emeralds are ferocious. But when powered by love, they are _unbeatable._"

"Nothing is ever truly unbeatable!" Naugus cried.

"There are forces greater than life and death, Naugus," Cyan suddenly broke in. "Forces that aren't governed by those laws. Some love can die . . . But not _true _love. Love, in its purest form, is the most powerful thing in existance!"

"You Freedom Fighters and your stupid morals!" Naugus spat. "You think love and virtue will always come to the rescue! You've got to fight the battle yourselves, fools!"

"And so we shall," Sonic returned. "with our love."

Naugus roared and suddenly rounded on him, shooting a beam of energy his way. Sonic held up his hand and the beam ricocheted away from him, right back at its shooter. Naugus tried to dodge, but the beam traveled too quick, and he was thrown down once more. Again the Freedom Fighters advanced. In a feverish effort to defend himself, Naugus sent up a forcefield of energy around him. But in a matter of seconds it was blown away by one of Trau's power orbs. Growing more furious and afraid, the sorcerer literally hurled himself at them all, energy burning all around him. He only ran right into the more powerful emerald energy wall that the Super and Hyper Forms put up, and it felt as if everything inside him had been insinerated.

Shrieking in pain he fell to the ground, smoking.

"Give up, Naugus!" cried Sonic. "You're finished anyway!"

Naugus tried to climb to his feet, but found it difficult. This energy was _far _more powerful than he ever imagined . . . too powerful.

"Get him while he's down!" the Freedom Fighters began to shout. "Kill him! Blast him to oblivion!"

Suddenly they came charging through the fire, also completely uninjured, although they didn't have the power of the Chaos Emeralds to protect them. Naugus gasped.

"How can this be possible! That fire should burn them to crisps!"

"They're protected by love too, Ixe," Sonic retorted. "You're trapped . . . "

"Destroy him!" they all cried in unison, Vren's roar adding power to their enraged voices. "Make him pay! Make him PAY!"

"Shut up all of you!" Naugus roared, but their infuriated chants only grew louder, and soon drowned out his voice completely. The wizard's heart pounded. He _was _trapped . . . And he was losing . . . He couldn't think nor feel anything but fear, anger and defeat. There was only one thing he could do now to totally ensure his survival--_flee._

All of a sudden Naugus disappeared again and an angry uproar erupted throughout the chamber.

"Come back you coward!" they yelled. "If you're so strong, then face us!"

For a second or two they had lost their target. But then, Knuckles suddenly detected the energy that had been surrounding Naugus like a shield. It couldn't be mistaken for Chaos Emerald energy--it was too hostile, too hot, too _evil._

"Over here!" cried the Guardian, charging forward.

He swung at the energy field with his fists, and sure enough made contact with his enemy. When he had the wizard down, Knuckles didn't hesitate--he mauled Naugus fiercely both with his punches and his energy attacks. Trau soon joined him, and under her fury Naugus momentarily disappeared in a fiery explosion.

"Blast you!" Naugus whirled around on them and sent a power orb shooting toward them. The two echidnas were able to block the orb's harmful energy rays, but it enveloped them for a second, preventing them from moving.

Seeing his chance, Naugus tried make his getaway again. And the moment Sonic saw him running, his blood boiled. He had expected Naugus to fight, but to see him fleeing and trying to get away with what he had done sent a wave of pure rage through his heart.

Like golden lightning he blasted forward at a speed so incredible that he became invisible for a moment. Then, a nanosecond later, he was in front of Naugus and forcing him back with a powerful ray of blinding energy. Naugus shouted furiously and tried to fight back, countering with his own powers, but the emerald energy overwhelmed him and he was pinned against the cave wall. All the other Freedom Fighters dashed up to help and make sure Naugus couldn't get away this time.

"It's never wise to run from the predator, Naugus," said Sonic, his tone low and deadly. "for they'll give chase."

Naugus struggled to break free, but he found himself bound by the combined powers of Sonic, Knuckles, Trau, Shadow and Khare.

"Go ahead, you fools!" he snarled. "Kill me! Or kill my body at least! My soul will live on no matter what you do! So do your _worst!_"

Suddenly Cyan looked directly into the sorcerer's eyes. "You _are _afraid, Naugus. All of evil is afraid of the light--ever since the beginning of time. When dawn comes the darkness flees. It may not always seem like it, but goodness, truth, and loyalty _always _win in the end, Naugus. And you know that."

Naugus tried to glare down at her, but for some reason he found her eyes unbearable to look at. Not only did they infuriate him, but they also sent a physical pain that stole through him like a blade. Suddenly he cried out in pain and found himself cringing. He clamped his eyes shut to stop it all, but still he saw the girl's eyes boring into his own, burning a hole right through his soul. And the more he struggled, it seemed, the more powerful Cyan became. The light in her eyes grew more intense, and the neon blue glow about her turned to a faint golden.

"What's happening!" Naugus shrieked, feeling his powers weaken by the split-second!

"I'm taking back the life force you stole from me," came Cyan's answer. "Life is _my _power, I've discovered, and I shall use it for good . . . not evil."

Now this Naugus hadn't expected at all, and finally the inner fear breached the wall of anger and power he had put up to defend himself. It shone in his eyes clearly, for he knew now that he had lost. Without the magic he had gained through the whole process, he was no match for the five Super and Hyper Forms before him.

And now came the moment the Freedom Fighters had been waiting for . . . With Naugus's powers drained, they all suddenly flocked forward, moving in for the kill. Sonic and the others mustered up all their energy and threw it all forward until Naugus was engulfed. The emerald power blew him away, drained whatever physical strength he had left, until only is spectral image remained once more. But even then the Freedom Fighters didn't cease their attack. They wanted to _ensure _that Naugus could _never _return. Their energy attacks grew more frequent and more intense, until the wall behind Naugus began to melt!

And as the energy burned and roared about him, literally destroying every part of his being, Naugus cried out furiously.

"_I will return, Freedom Fighters! One day! One day I will return and destroy you all!_"

Then, all of a sudden, the attack stopped abruptly, and the ghostly form of Naugus collapsed to the ground. With one final breath, he turned and looked up at the courageous group of Freedom Fighters above him, the ones he had come so terribly close to breaking apart, in confusion. His vision was too blurry now to see them all . . . All he could see real well now was a blinding golden glow directly ahead of him . . . _and two blazing red eyes._

Sonic stood above the wizard, his fists clenched, charging his power. Slowly the gold light around him grew brighter until it shone even against the black skies above, shone on for miles and miles . . .

"Naugus," he breathed, trembling as the emerald energy surged through him, roared through his veins until he was hardly able to contain it all. "If you _ever _do come back, and if you _ever _do try to hurt my friends and my loved ones again . . . _then may the Chaos Emeralds have mercy on your soul . . . _"

Suddenly he leapt into a spin attack and shot high in the air. Then, in the blink of an eye, he flashed back down and tore right through Naugus, repeating the very same act again and again in a matter of split-seconds, nothing more than a golden light streaking back and forth, seering through everything he touched, moving faster and faster until, finally, there came a golden-white glow that surrounded both him and Naugus for a brief moment, and then a quiet explosion of light that flitted down to the ground, where it cooled into ash . . . and that was all that was left of the evil sorcerer Ixis Naugus.

The Freedom Fighters stood silent for a few moments, when suddenly the mountain began to shake again. Sonic turned and saw the the ice crystals, created by the Void's eternal winter, were rapidly melting. The spell was breaking!

"C'mon!" he called, and gestured for them all to follow.

Quickly, using the Chaos Emerald power, they all flew down to the valley below, and watched the snow disappear right before their eyes. Above the never-ending gray, blue and violet clouds of the Void began to move rapidly toward the peak, as if something were sucking them all up. A furious gale picked up, and the Freedom Fighters clung desperately to anything they could find. Soon these winds began to spin, until a horizontal vortex was formed, taking back everything the Void had created. Far off, the clouds of the mystic portal disappeared completely, and once again Mobians could see the early morning sky. All around the ice and snow melted, and the land began to turn green again. Rivers ran freely down the mountainsides, no longer frozen over from the Void's cold winds. Flowers and plants sprung to meet the warming air of life, and all the destruction that had been created in the wake of Naugus's terrible spell was reversed. It was only a matter of minutes before the Freedom Fighters could see the mouth of the Void sweeping over their heads, and the majestic beauty of the Floating Island returning at last. They looked on eagerly at the mountain, waiting for the horrible portal to disappear forever. It continued to wind down, quickly vanishing into the whirling column of golden-violet light . . . but then, suddenly, it stopped, and a single portion of the Void remained just ahead of them.

Shadow blinked. "What happened? Why has it stopped?"

Sonic shook his head, puzzled. "I don't know . . . The spell's been broken. All should be reversed . . . "

Suddenly there came startled gasps from the crowd, and Sonic spun around. What he saw shocked him and the others.

There stood Cyan, Trau and Khare . . . only something was terribly wrong . . . They were human again.

"No!" gasped Cyan. "What happened? We were supposed to stay Mobians from now on . . . "

Trau's eyes suddenly became grave. "The spell that turned us into Mobians was _inside _the Void, in Sanctuary. Now that we're outside, its effect must have been reversed as well . . . "

The Freedom Fighters lowered their heads sadly, for they had come to love and respect the girls even more in their new forms. Cyan laid her head against Sonic's shoulder and tried to fight back the tears that were already forming in her eyes. Khare fell to her knees and Trau shook her head miserably.

But then, just as despair was taking over, three lights suddenly appeared in that one final cloud of the Void . . . one bluish-green, one gold, and one red . . . They hovered down toward the group, until the eyes of the three spirits were looking down on them.

Sonic gave them a bitter look. "You never told us that if the Void disappeared, then so would the spell . . . "

The three pairs of eyes looked at each other sadly.

"Please understand . . ." said the blue-green spirit softly. "There was something we had to ask you before we could make the change permanent . . . Something we could only ask now."

Trau looked up. "What do you mean?"

"We had to be sure that you truly wanted this change," answered the golden one. "And nothing could prove it more than the tests you went through . . . the battle against Naugus."

"But why would you have to be sure?" asked Cyan suddenly. "We know we want to stay this way . . . forever . . . "

"Because," said the red spirit. "If we did make the change permanent, that means you could _never _be humans again, nor could you ever return to Earth. Making you Mobians makes you a part of this world, so even if the link back to Earth Uncle Chuck told you about was ever created again, you would never be able to return."

The girls and the Freedom Fighters looked at each other solemnly.

"Everything is up to you," said the blue-green one. "Your decision now affects your future, so choose wisely."

Cyan, Trau and Khare looked at each other for a long while, and then nodded.

"What'll it be?" asked the red spirit.

Together the three girls stepped forward.

"Spirits," said Cyan. "We realize that we came from Earth, and that we'll always miss a part of it . . . " She paused and looked back at the Freedom Fighters.

Sonic's eyes were fixed on her worriedly, as were Shadow's and Knuckles'.

Then Cyan turned back, a smile spreading across her face. "But Mobius is where we belong. I want everything--my friends, my family, my _future _to be here, on Mobius."

"And so do I," nodded Trau.

"Me too." said Khare.

The spirits' eyes smiled as they looked at each other, and then back to the girls they protected. "You're sure you're willing to make this sacrifice . . . for love?"

Cyan, Trau and Khare bowed their heads. "We're sure."

The spirits nodded their heads, and suddenly mist began to furl around the girls once more. The Freedom Fighters looked at each other happily, and then the mists subsided, revealing the three Mobians that had sacrificed almost everything for their world. Joyously the girls hugged one another, glad they could live this grand adventure together, and then they turned back to their dearest friends in the universe.

Cyan raced into Sonic's arms and held him tight, tears of sadness now replaced by tears of joy. Sonic looked deep into her eyes, the eyes he loved more than anything else in the world.

"Cy . . . you'd really make that sacrifice? For me?"

Cyan nodded and smiled. "I did, didn't I? I couldn't live without you, Sonic . . . I love you."

Sonic mirrored her smile, his eyes glistening slightly too. "Love you too, Cy."

Cyan brushed her hand against his cheek to wipe away the tears. "Come here, you."

She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him deeply, and suddenly the golden light that surrounded him flared up brilliantly, brighter than it had ever been, fueled by the love they shared for one another.

Trau hugged Knuckles tightly, and then gave him a playful shove. Khare and Shadow just embraced each other warmly, glad they were together, that they would _stay _together . . . _forever. _

"All right, all right, enough with the mush," came the red spirit's voice suddenly.

The Freedom Fighters looked up at them, and suddenly found yet another surprise.

No longer were the spirits just pairs of eyes . . . but now, hovering above them, much the girls' amazement, were Cyan, Khare and Trau! No wonder they knew all about their future . . . they had _seen _it!

Cyan's spirit smiled and winked. "Told ya we'd reveal our identities someday."

Together she and the other spirits flew back to the Void, snickering at the shocked expressions on the Freedom Fighters' faces.

"Enjoy your stay on Mobius!" Trau's spirit called.

"And expect to see us--_in the future!_" Khare's spirit echoed.

And with that, they disappeared into the Void, allowing it to finally vanish from Mobius completely. It was done. Everyone was finally where they belonged.


	18. Chapter 18 The End

**.:Chapter 18:.**

**The End . . . **

It was beautiful to see the sun rise over Mobius again, its golden rays tinging the clouds pink and violet, chasing away the darkness that had momentarily prevailed. Everything seemed to come back to life on the sacred world, now that the cold breath of the Void was no longer freezing the land. The forests on the Floating Island were teeming with life now that they had been saved from worldwide devastation. The Emerald Mountains in the distance glowed brighter green than ever, and all around celebrations were already being held in honor of the heroic Freedom Fighters that had once more saved the world.

It was exactly five hours after the great battle, and now the weary heroes were journying deeper into those verdant mountains, carrying the seven emeralds and their master with them. With the Evil One defeated and the spells reversed, there was only one more task to complete--to return the Floating Island to the heavens. On the way, villagers and other natives of the island approached and thanked them, cheering joyously or offering them food and a place to rest. They were all very tired, but they acknowledged their friends gratefully, nodding their heads to them as they walked along.

Soon the villages and cities they passed grew more and more sparse, and the land more wild. Nothing but Mobius's wilderness surrounded them for miles around, and it almost seemed like ages had passed since they had seen the planet's magnificent nature. The late summer sun shone down upon the earth again, melting whatever was left of the snows. Soon the trees parted, and the Freedom Fighters stepped out onto a wide valley. In the center was a single set of ruins, a shrine, surrounded by broken stone columns and small, dried waterways that circled it.

Trau gasped when she saw the stone stairway that led up to the shrine.

"It's the place I saw in my vision . . . _Home._" A tearful look came into her eyes suddenly, but Knuckles put his hand on her shoulder.

"OK," he said, ascending the stairs. "Everyone hang on. We'll go up quick."

The Freedom Fighters nodded and sat near the stairway, holding onto the stone. All except Trau. She walked up with Knuckles to the awaiting altar at the top of the shrine, where together they carefully placed the Master Emerald and its seven satellites. Upon contact, the Master Emerald and its shrine began to glow a brilliant green . . . and then suddenly the entire island rocked. The Guardian and Trau turned and stood at the top of the stairway and looked out across the land far beyond the mountains, and smiled as it began to disappear farther and farther below them. With the emeralds' power restored, the Floating Island regained its mysterious magic, and the entire landmass began to rise out of the ocean and into the air, slowly at first, but then picking up speed. The Freedom Fighters looked up in awe as the clouds raced by, as if they were riding a giant elevator to the heavens. Moments later the island came to a stop, and once more floated thousands of feet above Mobius, the legendary "diamond in the sky."

"Looks like that's that." smiled Knuckles.

Later that evening, just as the first stars were coming out, the whole Freedom Fighter camp lay at the foot of the shrine. Knuckles had allowed them to stay for a day or two to rest, under the condition that no one defile the shrine in any way or touch the emeralds. It was a condition he knew everyone would obey, for after their rigorous battle, none of them would even dream of attempting to steal the sacred jewels.

Sonic, Cyan, Vren, Shadow, Khare, Trau and Knuckles all sat together, talking.

"Terrible, terrible shame that my Night Demons had to be sacrificed to destroy Naugus," Vren was saying as he looked down at his huge paws.

"Sorry, bud," said Sonic. "Unfortunately, this adventure forced us all to make sacrifices, especially these three right here." He gestured to the girls.

The great demon nodded. "Yes. Their sacrifice was for love--there couldn't be a more noble sacrifice. I am glad they're staying on Mobius. I'd miss them terribly if they ever returned to their world."

Trau smiled. "You've always been a great ally, Vren--" she stopped. "Well, not _always _but you get the idea."

Vren chuckled. "Yes."

"I'll miss you." Trau lowered her head suddenly, and so did Cyan and Khare.

Vren perked an eyebrow at them. "Miss me?"

"Yeah," said Cyan. "Aren't you going back to your world? Morian?"

The Demon King turned his head to the horizon, and for a second he was silent. But then he looked back and a smile spread across his regal muzzle.

"I've thought it over, my friends, and I've made up my mind. I really do owe my life to you all, especially Sonic. You saved me from Naugus's darkness more than once now, and I am eternally grateful. And besides, it really isn't the same on Morian. There's no great adventure, no powerful enemies to be fought, no friendship and loyalty . . . nothing really but savagery. I wish to stay with my friends, the ones I know I can trust, and I wish to continue these grand adventures on Mobius with you all, for here every day is an adventure. I wish to stay on Mobius."

Sonic and the others all looked at each other, and suddenly the girls all hugged Vren. The demon laughed and wrapped his beautiful, feathered wing around them.

"It appears I have made the right decision."

Sonic smiled and patted Vren's shoulder. "I'm glad, Vren. Wouldn't be the same without you. And while we're on the subject of staying with the Freedom Fighters . . ."

Suddenly Sonic turned toward Shadow, and everyone followed his gaze. Shadow looked up questioningly.

"Shadow, you've proven yourself more than trustworthy and loyal to the Freedom Fighters in the short time we've known you. You even put yourself in harm's way several times for us. Why don't you stay with us, pal? Join the Freedom Fighters."

The dark hedgehog seemed somewhat surprised. "You mean . . . despite the fact that I worked with Naugus and was your enemy at first, you'd still accept me?"

Sonic nodded. "Vren here was an enemy at first too, but he changed. People change, Shadow, and they all deserve second chances. Trust me, you'd make a great Freedom Fighter." He smiled and winked.

Shadow hesitated, and looked to Khare. Khare had been watching him hopefully the whole time, and now she nodded in agreement.

"At first, when we were given the choice to stay on Mobius or return to Earth, I wasn't so sure I did want to stay . . . " she said quietly. "I felt no connection that Cyan and Trau had . . . Nothing bound me here, it seemed. But now I've changed my mind. I want to stay with you."

Upon hearing that, Shadow did something he did very rarely. He smiled. And for the first time ever since that tragedy on the Space Colony ARK, he felt like he truly belonged.

At last he nodded his head. "Very well. I shall stay . . . with my friends."

The others smiled happily.

"Welcome to the Freedom Fighters, then, Shadow. We have ourselves two new members."

Cyan grinned, glad they were all staying together. She too felt more like she belonged than she ever had.

"So it's back to Knothole then? All of us, just like always?" she asked.

"Well . . . " Trau said suddenly, and then everyone focused on her. "I've been thinking too . . . And I've always dreamed of living on the Floating Island, the most beautiful place on all of Mobius . . . And I've made my decision. I wish to stay here with ol' Red."

Knuckles smiled, but Khare and Cyan looked a little sad.

"You're not coming back with us?" Cyan asked.

"But it wouldn't be quite the same without you there, Trau." Khare added.

"Hey, I'd come to visit," Trau smiled. "And I don't mean every other year or so. Trust me, I'd miss you guys too much. You're my best friends, and I could never forget about you. It's just that the Floating Island is my home. Just like Knothole is yours."

At first her two friends were worried, but hearing that Trau would visit them reassured them a great deal. They knew Trau was loyal, and that she always put her friends and loved-ones first. They had nothing to fear.

"All right," Cyan and Khare said together.

"Besides, we could always fly over and invade you two." Khare winked and Trau laughed.

"It ought to be interesting now that the Master Emerald has _two _guardians."

"Hey, I'm glad," said Knuckles suddenly. "Guarding the emerald day in and day out is a boring, and very lonely job. Another pair of eyes would help a lot. We could work in shifts."

The others chuckled and Trau gave him a shove.

Night was falling now, but Mobius and its inhabitants needn't fear the blackness, for a full moon hung over them like a watchful silver eye. Suddenly, from the very corner of her eye, Cyan noticed a streak of blue in the sky. She turned, and there, directly above her, was the Blue Star.

"I think I finally understand . . . " she said quietly.

"What's that?" Sonic asked.

"Why the Blue Star gave me the feelings it did when I saw it . . . Why it kind of filled my with a new sense of fear and wonder."

"Why?"

"Because, through a test of hardships and danger, it brought me the greatest change of my life. It granted me my most longed-for wish, but for a price. It was a price I was glad to pay though. I guess it's true that to love one must make sacrifices."

Sonic nodded. "That's true. I'm glad it brought the changes it did, then. I'm glad I discovered who I truly loved, for now I'm happier than I ever was."

Cyan smiled warmly and felt tears burning in her eyes. "So am I, fella. I don't believe I'll ever ask for anything again."

"So," said Khare. "What do you think awaits us now?"

Cy shrugged. "Could be anything. I guess we'll have to wait and see. The spirits _did _mention that this is merely the beginning of our adventures."

"Whoever knew there could be so much drama in one world?" asked Trau, leaning against one of the stone pillars.

"Do you think Naugus has any chance of coming back?" Vren inquired, turning to Sonic.

"It's like he said, Vren--even if he could return, it would take a very long time. Even longer than this time. I seriously doubt it, but if he does, we'll just blow him back into the Void again."

"What about Robotnik?" said the demon. "Our other archenemy?"

Sonic shook his head. "Ol' Robuttnik is _gone_, pal. There's no way on Mobius he could have survived the Final Power of the Chaos Emeralds. That power obliviates everything."

Suddenly Uncle Chuck, who had been listening nearby, leaned over to the group.

"You know, now that our two greatest enemies have been eliminated, we really ought to think about doing the very first thing we had planned to do after Robotnik was defeated."

"What's that?" asked Cyan.

"Rebuilding Mobotropolis, King Acorn's old kingdom," Chuck replied. "Mobius could be free again, at last."

Sonic turned away bitterly when he heard the name Acorn.

"That concerns Sal, Unc. You know I don't want to talk about her."

"That's right," said Khare. "She _is _the heir to the throne . . . But that wouldn't do Mobius any good; to have a liar rule . . . That'd be just as bad as Robotnik."

"That's right," Uncle Chuck nodded, scratching his chin thoughtfully. "That would definitely create some problems. Well, it's just a thought for the future, Sonny boy. We'll be comfronted with it sooner or later."

Sonic nodded slowly. "Yeah, I guess so. Don't get me wrong--I would _love _to destroy Robotropolis and bring back the old ways . . . To make Mobius free."

The skies continued to darken into a deep blue-black, and the Freedom Fighters could see the galaxies turning above them. It was the end of an exhausting but victorious day, and now our heroes were ready to put the past behind them and focus on what lay ahead, even after their arduous journey.

"Well," said Sonic after a few moments of silence had passed. "We'd better settle down for the night. We head back home tomorrow. Good night, everyone."

Soon the entire Freedom Fighter camp was fast asleep with nothing but the crickets and the owls and all the other voices of the nocturnal world to break the peaceful silence. Directly above them the Blue Star glimmered brilliantly like a winking eye.

In the morning, after being awakened by Knuckles and Trau's playful demands to "get the heck off the shrine," the Freedom Fighters prepared to travel back home. Lupe and the Wolf Pack were the first to leave, soon followed by Pallo, Dirk and then Ari. Sonic and the others stayed a little while longer to bid their farewells to Trau and Knuckles, and to get a last look at the beauty of the Floating Island.

Before they left, Sonic and Cyan stood on the shore of a familiar lake nestled within a great valley, where the summer breeze sighed through the trees, blowing down the white petals that now grew on their branches.

"This is the place I saw in my vision . . . " said Cyan, looking around quietly. "And now I know why. I'm _never _to forget this place . . . "

Sonic smiled and nodded, gazing out across the blue waters. They were standing in the clearing of the woods near the great lake, the very place where, even through the dark, thick veil of the Void, a star had fallen.

"Me neither," he replied. "We should come back someday . . . It is a rather memorable place."

Suddenly Uncle Chuck called out to them.

"Come on you two love birds! It's time to go!"

Together Sonic and Cy raced back to the Freedom Fighters as they mounted Dulcy and Vren. Another short farewell and thanksgiving to the Guardian and Trau, and then the demon and the dragon took wing, soaring through the endless azure skies back home, back to Knothole, where their journey had begun.


	19. Chapter 19 And the Beginning

**.:Chapter 19:.**

**. . . And the Beginning**

It was five months after Naugus's defeat, and now winter had once again fallen across the land. But this winter wouldn't signify death and loss . . . for the year was almost at its end, and Mobius would begin a new revolution around its sun. The winds of change were blowing across the planet, and Sonic could sense them more than anyone in the Great Forest. Time and time again, when he had ventured out of the village to roam the endless woodlands, or when he was just standing idly outside his hut, he could almost hear a voice on the breeze, a voice that spoke of rebirth, of renewal, of new beginnings . . .

At first he didn't understand it, but as the seasons changed, and the snows began to fall, it became clearer what the voices on the wind could be hinting at. Uncle Chuck's plan to rebuild Mobotropolis had spread throughout the village, and soon to the other Freedom Fighter groups. With time they grew larger, until they all began to talk excitedly about it and argue over it. Sonic himself began to wonder just what would happen if the city was rebuilt . . . Would Mobius let Sally rule? Or would they rebel, and look for another candidate? And what of the old king, King Acorn? He had been sealed in the Void long ago, and now had no hope of being brought back, for if he ever set foot outside of the portal, he'd turn to crystal. Sonic knew conflict, and possibly war, over the throne was inevitable. There would always be someone eager to usurp the power of leadership--always.

Then, with the last month of the year, the first step forward finally came.

One frigid night, Uncle Chuck found Sonic just on the outskirts of the Great Forest, overlooking the dark city of Robotropolis.

"They're ready to destroy it all, Sonic," he said quietly. "Working together, it could be demolished by early next year, and reconstruction can begin."

Sonic gazed out across the silhouetted buildings in the distance silently, a grave look in his eyes.

"Why do you seem so against the whole thing, Sonny?" his uncle asked. "I would have thought you'd be eager to get rid of Robotropolis once and for all."

"I am, Unc," came Sonic's reply. "Trust me, I want the old ways back more than anyone. But I have a feeling it'll cause trouble . . . lots of trouble. There'll be wars . . . "

Chuck glanced at him, puzzled. "How can you be sure?"

"It's just a gut feeling," said his nephew. "Besides, it's bound to happen. I've heard the others talking in Knothole. Not everyone totally approves of Sal ruling . . . Including me."

"I know there's a variety of opinions floating around . . . But who else could rule?"

"I dunno," Sonic shrugged. "I want someone we know we can trust, someone who won't lie or deceive us, someone who knows an enemy when they see one."

Uncle Chuck fell silent and turned back to the city, a strange expression in his eyes. For a second it looked as if he wanted to say something, but he never did. He only looked through the darkness pensively, as though thinking deeply on something.

"I don't mean to sound disappointed on the whole idea," Sonic said finally. "It's just that I sense war. War's consumed this world for far too long . . . I'd hate to see it flare up again."

"So would I, Sonny," Chuck nodded. "So would I. Well, you think on it, boy. They're awaiting your permission."

And with that Uncle Chuck patted his nephew on the shoulder and headed back to the village, that thoughtful look never leaving his visage. Sonic could only nod silently as a cold wind picked up, its omening voices stronger than ever . . .

Deep within the mountains, several miles east of Knothole, another pair of eyes looked out across what had once been her family's kingdom, with an expression very similar to Sonic's on her face.

"There's been talk, St. John," she said suddenly as another creature, a skunk, stepped up beside her. "Talk of destroying Robotropolis and reconstructing my father's city."

"I've heard, Sally," St. John nodded. "I agree with them. It's time to purge Mobius of all the evil that has inflicted it."

"And bring back the old ways," said Sally. "Do you realize what this means, Geoffrey? I can finally take my place as queen. Together we can change Mobius back into the grand, beautiful place it once was."

Suddenly St. John lowered his blue eyes. "There've been more rumors, Princess. Not everyone wants you to rule . . . We'll gain enemies."

The princess turned and looked hard at him. "But I'm the only heir to the throne, Geoffrey. There's nothing they can do . . . unless they rebel . . . "

Geoffrey nodded. "Which they probably will. It'll be a chaotic time, Sally. We'll need backup if we come to claim the throne."

"You may be right, St. John . . . " Sally sighed. "No matter. By blood it's my rightful place, and the only way they can change that is by force."

"_War._" said St. John earnestly.

Princess Sally nodded slowly, and the two could only gaze down at the ruins of Mobotropolis, wondering what the future had in store for them, and planning to face it . . .

That very same night Cyan had a dream. She saw her spirit peering at her through the clouds of a dark sky with her hazel eyes . . . At first she just looked at her silently, but then she began to speak.

"_Rest easy for now, Cyan. But keep your eyes open . . . for the next three years of your life shall herald your greatest adventure yet . . . _"

_**.:The End:.**_


End file.
